ESSEX Police have backed a license application from members of Thurrock Rugby Club after receiving a pledge that all conditions would be met.

Thurrock Council licensing committee heard an application for a new premises licence at Bar 1928 which has been created in premises recently vacated by Orsett Heath Academy at the club's Oakfield ground.

The bar is within a new building, constructed following a £3 million grant from Thurrock Council to help alleviate a secondary school placement crisis.

The switch to a different use is currently being investigated by the council's planning team, as the premises was supposed to become a sports academy when students migrated to the nearby Orsett Heath Academy school.

The committee heard the ground floor of the building is currently used as offices by the academy.

Essex Police raised concerns about the application on the grounds of preventing crime and disorder and the protection of children.

Speaking at the hearing on Thursday, (10 April) Simon Barnes, licensing officer for Essex Police, said: "Any bar is going to have a slight element of crime and disorder.

"It is in a new building which brings about new issues for an area which is reflected in the conditions I've put forward to the applicant.

"In relation to the children. It is technically an academic building. The lower floor is used by the academy, albeit at the moment for administrative purposes only but that does not define that in the future in the event of the academy has an incident where part of the building comes offline that this area may not come back into educational use in the future so we have to consider both the current and future risks for the protection of children."

Mr Barnes said he supported the application as long as certain conditions he put forward are met. These include the installation of cctv.

He said: "This is why additional conditions were requested to ensure alcohol didn't reach the lower floors of the academy building which would be the remainder of the academy building albeit at the moment for HR and administrative functions only

"We ask the committee to grant the licence with all conditions outlined."

Speaking on behalf of the club, vice chairman, Jason Bedding, said: "I've met with Mr Barnes and agreed to everything he's had concerns with.

"We've put a lot of the things in place already. I know he was concerned about the children but it's quite clear that for the school it is a high priority for them for safeguarding and we work together very closely to make sure that works.

"Most of what we are doing at the bar is for functions for weekends. We do have some conferences that are held there through the day but predominantly most of it is just weekends only. We're not looking to open it as a pub every day of the week, it is just purely for functions."

The committee said it would make its decision on the licence and any conditions known shortly after considering the presentations.