A village cricket club has been granted an alcohol licence which it says will help raise funds to ensure its future.

Constantine Cricket Club, which is based in Brill, had applied to Cornwall Council for a licence so that it can run a bar which would be used on match days, training days and for fundraising events.

However, the application had attracted a number of objections from nearby residents who were concerned about noise, in particular from music.

One neighbour said he believed that the club was looking to run a pub or a nightclub from the venue.

The applicants explained to Cornwall Council's licensing act sub-committee that there were no plans to do anything more than be able to offer drinks and refreshments during match days, training days and fundraising events.

They said that this would help to generate more revenue for the club which would keep the club going and also help run the children's and youth training programmes which it operates.

The club said that it had members who already operated licensed premises and so they had experience which would be used in operating the club bar.

And they said that there were only plans to hold between three and four fundraising events a year.

A spokesman said:

"The club faces huge challenges as do many traditional village cricket clubs. It is making the club financially sustainable.

"The operating costs of a cricket club are quite considerable, this is due to the specialist labour and equipment needed to have a suitable playing surface."

They explained that funds had been stretched due to the Covid-19 lockdown last year which prevented some regular fundraising events from taking place.

In addition, the club's pitch had been damaged by leatherjackets and birds which had then fed on the insects. It was explained that it could take three to four years to recover entirely.

Local resident Richard Lewis said that the main objection from local residents was in regards to the licence also giving permission for live and recorded music.

He said that if this element was removed then most residents would not object to the application.

However legal officer Mark Andrews explained that the music element was not a separate licence and was included with the overall application.

Mr Lewis said there were also concerns about parking at the club saying that on match days some visitors park badly along the roads which causes problems for local residents and he claimed could be dangerous.

Mr Lewis said that the application "suggests they want to turn the place into a pub" and said everybody was against a music licence which was "totally inappropriate for a village cricket club".

He said that local residents supported the club for its role in the community and said there was no problem with a limited licence.

Mr Lewis suggested that a music licence would allow the applicants to "turn the cricket club into a pub or a nightclub".

The cricket club representatives said:

"We have no intention of upsetting the local residents wherever possible. It is our intention to be as responsible as it is possible for us to be. If we are granted any form of licence we want it to be run and managed in an appropriate way for a village cricket club.

"We are not looking to open a pub, we are not looking to create a business beyond creating a small revenue stream for the cricket club."

The licensing act sub-committee agreed unanimously to grant the licence with some conditions including that the sale of alcohol would be allowed from 2pm to 10:30pm and the club opening hours would be 2pm to 11pm.

They also added a condition that there would be no more than four fundraising events in a calendar year and that the club would notify local residents when those events are planned.