Licensing chiefs today gave the town’s hockey club the go ahead to serve booze at its new clubhouse in the grounds of Felixstowe Academy.

Felixstowe Hockey Club is due to move to the Felixstowe Community Hub building, which is on the site of the Maidstone campus, in January.

The clubhouse will be next to the club’s new all-weather pitches and bosses said the sale of alcohol was vital so it could hold fundraising events and tournaments.

But concerns were raised due to the proximity of the building to school children and the chance of academy events taking place at the same time as hockey events.

The issues were discussed by Suffolk Coastal District Council’s licensing and health sub-committee yesterday and councillors gave the proposals the green light.

John Bax, the hockey club’s chairman, said: “Naturally we are delighted that we have been given the go-ahead and we can’t wait to get started on the build, and move in.

“We have put stringent measures in place to combat any safeguarding issues, as well as ensuring security is of the highest level.”

The Felixstowe Community Hub scheme will be managed by Leading Lives and other users of the building will include the Level Two youth project and Mencap.

The hockey club has invested �16,000 of its own funds into the building’s renovation.

Felixstowe Academy initially objected to the plans but the objections were taken away once the two parties came to a compromise agreement.

The compromise means that if there are academy events taking place on Tuesdays during term time, the club will not open the bar and the club will write to homeowners informing them of events, opening hours and contact numbers.

? What do you think of the plans? Write to Your Letters, Ipswich Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or you can e-mail starletters@archant.co.uk