Football club told to splash out on soundproofing

CHEDDAR Football Club bosses may have to spend thousands of pounds to soundproof the building if it is to stay open.

The venue, in Draycott Road, had its licence reviewed by Sedgemoor District Council after numerous complaints from Cheddar Caravan Club and Cheddar Touring Park about noise.

Bosses at the football club were given an informal warning and encouraged to make a number of alterations to minimise disturbance, including enforcing booking conditions during functions, improving relations with the nearby caravan sites and looking into soundproofing.

The club was also told to install a sound limiter. All changes have to be made before the start of the tourist season in March next year and failure to do so could result in another hearing to reconsider the venue’s licence.

Club chairman Steve Bayliss said: “The committee at the club will now consider the decision following the hearing and will decide on what action to take.

“Quite clearly, we are going to have to make a significant investment regarding soundproofing and limiting equipment needs to be planned carefully.

“It is however an area we have looked at in the past but never followed it through due to the high cost.”

He added: “I hope we can now look to work together and put an end to this matter.”

The popular club relies heavily on the revenue generated from functions at the venue in the non-football season between May and August, which pays for maintenance of the facility.

It is purely self-funded and the club will find it extremely hard to find the cash to pay for the new alterations.

But bosses at Cheddar Caravan Club and Cheddar Touring Park say their businesses have greatly suffered over the past summer, with tourists demanding their money back due to excessive noise from the football club.

A spokesman from the touring park said: “It’s been a dreadful summer. We’ve had a lot of people asking for their money back.

“We are pleased with the decision and hope it gets sorted. We are sorry it got as far as it did but we hope it will be resolved amicably.”