THE future of Woodham Golf and Country Club has been thrown into doubt.

Stan Roberts, managing director of the Newton Aycliffe business, says he does not know what the future holds for the club after an application for a public entertainment licence was refused yesterday.

Sedgefield Borough Council rejected the application for public music and dancing to be allowed at The Lakeside nightspot until midnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

It is the second time that Mr Roberts' plans have suffered a setback this year.

He had earlier applied for renewal of a licence to allow music to be played until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. An appeal is pending against that refusal.

The main concern is the high levels of noise which neighbouring residents say they have to endure. Several attended yesterday's licensing committee meeting to put their case.

Mr Roberts had promised to carry out soundproofing work at the club when the licence was granted last January.

He told the meeting he intended to do the work this summer, but put it on hold when the licence was not renewed.

He admitted that the premises were inadequate, but said they would be soundproofed as soon as the licence was granted.

He said: "I'm prepared to give an undertaking to this committee that we will not use the entertainment licence until such time as that soundproofing is installed."

Leah Beaumont, the council's environmental control officer, recommended the licence should not be granted before the work had been carried out.

She said: "There have been so many promises that those works will be carried out that we have got some scepticism that it would be done."

Council members discussed the application behind closed doors for several minutes before announcing it had been refused.

After the meeting, Mr Roberts said: "We will have to think about it and decide what we are going to do.

"We will have to decide the future of the whole golf club and our operation there. It is very much in doubt."