Neighbours complain about rugby club's party plans

Bosses at Hereford Rugby Club want to extend their licence to play music and serve food and alcohol until 02:00 at weekends

Plans to host "noisy" late night events at Hereford Rugby Club have attracted criticism from locals – with even existing noise levels said to have reduced one neighbour to tears.

Thirty-six valid objections were submitted in response to a bid to extend the club's licence to play music and to serve food and alcohol until 02:00 at weekends.

Licensed activities have been permitted until 23:00, and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, for the past four years.

An application for the proposed extended hours will be decided by a council committee on Friday.

Among the residents objecting to the new licence was Sally Budd, who lives in a building that overlooks the club.

"The noise can already be incessant from late morning onwards," she said.

"You can't get away from it in the house, you can't even hear the TV. It has reduced one neighbour to tears."

The club said it only intended to use the new licence during the summer months when there were no matches on, and that it would not host events every weekend.

It said it anticipated "probably around eight to ten events a year."

"We don't want to annoy the neighbours," the club added.

It had been hosting an increasing number of charity events for free – but the failure of Hereford Round Table's Rock The Wye event to secure a temporary event permission at the club's ground highlighted a need for a more flexible premises licence, the club spokesperson added.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.