A CHARITY ball arranged a
year ago has been cancelled
because the chosen venue has
since lost its late-night drinks
and music licence.
The Charity Ball Company
Committee of Winchester had
arranged the fund-raiser on
behalf of The Wessex Cancer
Trust at St Cross Cricket Club
for Saturday, September 13.
But it said a new 10.30pm cutoff
time meant it now made the
ball "untenable".
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The team of six Winchester
fund-raisers said it would not
be fair for party-goers to pay
£50 for a ticket if the bash had
to finish early.
Winchester City Council
imposed the licensing rules on
the club at the end of April, following
a meeting of the licensing
committee and numerous
objections from nearby neighbours.
The cricket club had applied
to stay open until 11pm, having
previously had permission to
serve alcohol until 11.15pm.
Ali Galvin, chairwoman of the
charity ball group, said: "We
are bitterly disappointed that
such a wonderful setting has
now become untenable.
"We had already sold over
100 tickets for the event before
we were informed of the ruling.
"While we have every sympathy
for the cricket club, we do
not understand how, in today's
society when there is 24-hour
drinking, that fund-raising
events such as ours should be
penalised in this way."
She added: "It wouldn't have
been value for money."
She and the rest of the committee
had to call every person
who had put down deposits for
tickets and return their money,
urging them to support the
charity at the next ball.
The group also had to cancel
the band, catering and marquee.
Luckily, she added, everyone
was understanding and the
committee did not lose any
money, but it was not able to
find anywhere else to hold the
ball at such short notice.
Instead, it is hoping to hold a
James Bond' themed-night at
The Screen in Winchester in
November, complete with red
carpet, black tie, champagne
and cocktails.
Alan Taylor, chairman of the
cricket club, said the main reason
the club had made the
licensing application was so
that members could have a
drink after playing and for the
occasional social function such
as a summer ball.
He added that hiring the
clubhouse out was an important
source of income for the
club, which had high running
costs, and that it was difficult
to do with the 10.30pm restriction.
Mr Taylor said: "We were naturally
upset that they (the charity
ball committee) felt they
had to cancel it, but we understood
their reasons.
"We have to be aware of our
obligations to St Cross and the
local residents."
He said of the licensing committee's
decision: "We weren't
unduly upset about it but we
did realise that it'd make the
letting of the facilities less
attractive if drinking and music
had to stop at 10.30pm."
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