Neighbours object to Milton of Campsie Bowling Club opening hours

Milton of Campsie Bowling Club was only partially successful in extending its opening hours following objections from neighbours.

The club was denied permission to trade from 9am to 1am on Saturdays although it was given approval to open at 9am on Mondays to Fridays.

It had requested the revised hours in line with new policy introduced by East Dunbartonshire Council, but the occupants of two nearby houses had submitted formal complaints to the local licensing board on the grounds that this would lead to unacceptable levels of disturbance considering their close proximity to the club.

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The objectors were invited to speak at a licensing hearing held in the council’s Kirkintilloch headquarters on Thursday, August 15. Mrs Maureen Mitchell, who was accompanied and represented by her son, and Bobby Gorian both pointed out that they lived within feet of the club, separated only by hedges and lived “cheek by jowl” with the bowling club, and that an extension on opening hours would result in late night noise negatively impacting their lives and health.

“The bowling club must be the closest to housing in all of East Dunbartonshire,” Mr Mitchell commented. Both objectors, meanwhile, said they did not harbour any resentment towards the club, in fact the funeral tea for Mrs Mitchell’s late husband had been held there.

Bowling club secretary Louise Dunn, who was representing the club at the hearing, said she and other members of the committee would always listen to the concerns of neighbouring residents and encouraged them to approach her in future if there were any issues. She also claimed that the request for later hours was primarily to prevent any requirement for obtaining one-off occasional licences which have to be booked weeks in advance. The nature of the functions held in the club was relatively subdued as well, she said. “In previous years we used to have swing or brass bands, which we no longer do, and we don’t host 18th or 21st birthdays either,” she said.

Following a recess to allow the board to deliberate in private, Councillor Gary Pews proposed the club’s application be approved minus the extended weekend hours and this was passed by four votes to three.