Bowls club curfew extended despite noise complaint

Councillors voted in favour of later operating hours at Rottingdean Bowling Club

A lawn bowls club has been granted permission to resume its usual playing hours after receiving noise complaints.

Rottingdean Bowling Club had been given a 20:00 cut off time by Brighton and Hove City Council.

Club members called for a 22:00 curfew, stating the restriction would prevent players from taking part in evening fixtures.

At a meeting on Wednesday, the council’s planning committee voted unanimously in favour of the later operating hours.

The club was granted planning permission in July to renovate its clubhouse and modernise facilities, but when its plans were approved, a 20:00 finish was among the planning conditions.

A neighbour of the club addressed the meeting, requesting a finishing time to be stipulated for indoor activities to “mitigate late evening noise disturbance”.

The club said it had soundproofed the walls and removed electric hand-dryers from the toilets in an attempt to combat the noise.

Margaret Kimber, ladies secretary of the club, said it was “difficult to comprehend” the complaints.

“I can’t think of a much quieter game than lawn bowls,” she told BBC Radio Sussex before the meeting. “We don’t hit the jack that often, which is just a little click.”

She added: “A lot of our members are on their own. We get changed, we play bowls, we have a tea or coffee, we have refreshments after the games, and that’s it.”

Councillor Les Hamilton said: “Bowls matches will often go on for more than two hours, so I wouldn’t want it to be a case where they could play at 6pm but have to stop at 8pm. That wouldn’t be viable.”