DESPITE objections from more than a hundred residents, councillors yesterday agreed to grant an entertainment licence to Yarm Fellowship Hall.

Stockton Borough Council's licensing committee received an application for the licence from the Yarm Fellowship committee.

The hall is in West Street and residents were concerned there would be an increase in traffic. They were also worried about the amount of noise that would be generated.

Robert Jackson, one of the objectors, said: "Our main concern is traffic. West Street is a very busy street.

"There have been problems in the past with people having access to their own properties and we have had to go in the hall and ask people to move their cars.

"Having this licence for entertainment will only increase the traffic."

Peter Monck, who was at the meeting on behalf of the fellowship committee, agreed to restrict the number of entertainment events to no more than three in any one week, and said that it would probably only hold one or two each month.

The hall stages various events for the local community, including pantomimes, arts festivals, church and health events.

Mr Monck also agreed only to have the licence for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 5pm to 11pm.

He said: "We want the option to decide if we want to hold an event, but we will not be having events all the time. There is no way we can put on an event three nights a week, it is just not possible.

"We do not envisage adding to the traffic problem. We are concerned about the level of objections and we realise the fact that the hall is within a residential area. We do not want to infringe where people live."

Mr Jackson said: "I think only holding two or three events a month might be acceptable to the residents."

The licence was approved by councillors.