A NEW club is finally ready to take centre stage on the Ipswich music scene today after the whole project was nearly scuppered by complaints over noise.

A NEW club is finally ready to take centre stage on the Ipswich music scene today after the whole project was nearly scuppered by complaints over noise.

More than �40,000 had been lavished on QJam on the assumption it would have a license to operate for its planned official opening on May 1.

Owner Richard Robinson initially assumed the licence was still valid from the days when the Duke Street building housed the Premier Pool club.

This turned out not to be the case, but he decided to push on with refurbishment to make the deadline while he applied for a new one.

However an objection by residents in the neighbouring Orwell Quay threw his entire investment into jeopardy until a decision had been made at an Ipswich Borough Council licensing committee on Wednesday.

As a result, Mr Robinson had to lay on a private function on May 1 and not sell alcohol or accept ticket sales, in accordance with licensing laws.

But the show was put back on the road when borough chiefs granted the license and the club will be re-opening publicly today.

Mr Robinson, 44, said: “I am really pleased, but its hit me hard financially. I'm hopefully going to put more into the community than take out of it. People are fed up of driving to Norwich for gigs.

“A lot of work has been done inside to get it up to scratch and get it away from the Premier Pool days. It is a new era now.”

Mr Robinson, who lives in Landseer Road, Ipswich, said the matter had already cost him up to �5,000 and forced him to make his 18 staff redundant - at a time when jobs are at a premium.

The capacity is limited to 250 people, but there is potential to double that figure should QJam drum up sufficient custom.

During the day, it will operate as a pool and social club and by night the floor will be opened up to provide space for a stage and disco area.

To celebrate its success the club will be hosting two bands this weekend. On Saturday Oceans Upon Us will play and on Sunday, tribute band The Kaiser Thiefs will be on stage along with Mr Happy Chainsaw.

Doors open at 8pm both nights and is �3 entry for Oceans Upon Us and �5 entry for Kaiser Thiefs.

Are you pleased the licence has been approved? Will you be going along to QJam? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk