Easington Colliery Club wins permission from Durham County Council to open from 8am

A club which has served its members “from cradle to grave” for over a century is hoping to safeguard its own future by extending its hours.
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The Easington Colliery Club and Institute applied for permission to open, serve alcohol and for the “provision of plays” between 8am and midnight and until 1am on New Year’s Eve while also creating an outside drinking area.

Club secretary Stephen Foster told Durham County Council’s licensing sub-committee “we’re just trying to get some more footfall in the club” and added: “We’ve been a big part of our members’ lives for 100 years at important times in their lives – christenings, funerals and weddings – and we’d really hate to see the club go.

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“We’re fighting a hard battle to try and keep our doors open. Just that little bit of extra business makes a lot of difference.”

From left, Easington Colliery club stewardess Kayleigh Parkin, secretary Stephen Foster and chairman Danny Brown.From left, Easington Colliery club stewardess Kayleigh Parkin, secretary Stephen Foster and chairman Danny Brown.
From left, Easington Colliery club stewardess Kayleigh Parkin, secretary Stephen Foster and chairman Danny Brown.

The Seaside Lane club already has a licence until midnight although the new hours would mean it could open three hours earlier to cater for events and club bus trips.

The application drew three objections, raising issues including noise, privacy, security and risk of anti-social behaviour and nuisance near homes, although one objection was withdrawn later.

Mr Foster told councillors people would not be “partying from 8am til midnight” as objectors had feared.

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He said they would not open for all of the hours or use the outside area past 10pm and music would not be allowed outside because of neighbours.

Mr Foster said: “It’s not a rave club where they’re jumping up and down or anything like that.

“The club has quite a good record regarding discipline. We have a zero tolerance policy. We’re absolutely ruthless with anybody found with drugs on the premises.

“We do care about our neighbours. We try our best. We think our club is the safest place in County Durham to drink.

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“I’ve been a member over 50 years and I think it’s a wonderful place and without the club in the community I think would be very detrimental to Easington Colliery.”

The fire service, police and public health authority made no comment on the proposed hours.

Councillor Jan Blakey, chairing the sub-committee, said councillors had decided to grant the application with conditions to close the outside area at 9.30pm Sundays-Thursdays and at 10pm on Fridays-Saturdays.