Question Author
I agree that the "club" is entitled to stipulate, but it is the two committee members, (one of which applied for the license), who have done this. The other members of the committee don't seem to have a problem with children as long as there is a special reason for them to be in the premises later than 9.00. They seem to have been told that the "law" is that children "must" be out by 9.00, rather than it being a choice of the clubs and in such they have been lied to.
Of course the problem with not playing in venues with similar rules is that there are none. 14+ have been allowed in all other venues, and it would be futile to have a member of a team that could play in all BUT home games. This already caused bad feeling last year when the league ruling was first brought in, but I suppose that the loss in revenue should not really concern me, although as a member of the club - it does.
I personally don't mind the 9.00 rule at all, it has no effect on me or my life, I was simply trying to find out if there was an exception to the rule for those members that did care. I believe that they should have applied for the license, not stipulating any time, (if this is how it can be done), then made 9.00 a club rule. That would have given the club the flexibility in special circumstances and would not need a £900 change to the license to sort out.
As I mentioned they are not simply enforcing the conditions of the license. It was the two in question who put those conditions into the license, creating the situation in the first place. It also has created a weird situation where they are allowing children into private or semi-private parties/events after 9.00. There is a bar in the room that the children are in, which would mean that they are breaking the terms of the license themselves? They have always said that children were allowed because of the circumstances, but after seeing the information here, I am thinking they are incorrect.
As for paying the £900 myself, I have contributed thousands of pounds worth of time and items to the club over the years so would actually think about it if the club was struggling, (which it is not, yet). The music system, (not just a hifi), as well as some tv equipment has been given. I even bought the pool table for the club, when they decided that selling the previous one had been a rather stupid idea, so if I didn't see the situation being created, I would happily "offer to pay the £900 myself".
I am aware that some people do not like children. I personally have no children and have no great want for children to be allowed in the club. It is the fact though, from the comments that I have heard that parents on the whole do, and many others think our committee is being petty; meaning that there has been a lot of bad feeling towards the club and the committee over the last few years in regards to children not being allowed. Not being able to watch the last 30 minutes of a football match, for instance. Having to keep an eye on the time and leave before they are asked to leave by the aforementioned "two", has made the families with and the surprisingly well behaved children feel unwelcomed, almost all no longer come to the club anymore.
As for the 1am opening. Firstly, there are members simply wanting an extra hours drinking time and are beginning to stay in other clubs/pubs that offer the extra hour. The taxi situation is a basic reason why it would be handy to have that extra time. The music concludes at midnight, I believe that most people do indeed book the taxi's for 12, but they are not the best around here. I have seen a taxi ordered at 10 not turn up, and when phoned they cant pick up until 12.30! I have seen 12am taxi's eventually turn up at 1.15 or sometimes not at all! People, (often older, not keen on walking the distance or on their own), can be sat waiting for an hour, through no fault of their own. They ask for a drink while they are waiting, they cant get one. sad.
Long post. sheesh.