Blackfield & Langley FC could fold due to a lack of income after Fawley Parish Council changes bar licence

A WATERSIDE football club has warned it could fold due to a lack of income after the opening hours of its sports bar were cut in a dispute over noise.

Concerns have been raised over the future of Blackfield & Langley Football Club which shares Gang Warily Recreation Centre with Fawley Parish Council.

Stuart Barker, chair of the football club since 2019, said the change was costing £200 a day.

But the parish council said the temporary arrangements would give time to find a solution and it remained committed to supporting the club.

Problems with noise led to the parish council imposing a revised licence until 31st August, stopping the bar opening any earlier than 3.30pm.

In a statement, the parish council said seven members of staff working in offices were often disturbed by the sounds of drinkers, due to a lack of insulation between the ground and first floor.

As the path to the bar runs “right under” the office windows, it said, employees “can hear everything”.

But Mr Barker said use of the bar was “imperative” as it is the club’s only income, aside from matchday ticket sales.

He said: “Fawley Parish Council served us notice to terminate our licence of use in the bar area.

“They want to rent the room out between 9am and 3pm – this then prevents us from setting up, stocking up, etc.

“We need to fight to keep our original licence or this great football club that has been around since 1935 will have to get dissolved.”

He added: “The council claim to be for the community. However, we are paying the council on a monthly basis to supply this facility to the community.

“The community that use this facility love it and I have had nothing but positive feedback on how friendly the place is.”

He blamed the noise on people walking down a side path and said the adjacent five-a-side courts make a lot more noise than a “community bar”.

Mr Barker added: “The disappointing thing is people from all over our community use these facilities: from people in the play park for refreshments for the children to people playing football.

“People in our community also come here to meet up and have a social.”

Parish clerk Stephanie Bennett told the A&T: “The council is providing the club with a new ‘letter licence’ to use the space in Gang Warily as a bar.

“The licence will run until 31st August and enables the bar to open at 3.30pm.

“This will give the council and club time to look at the issues and solutions of operating a public bar in close proximity to all of the other services in a building that is not designed for such use.”

She added: “The council remains committed to supporting Blackfield & Langley Football Club.”