WINCHESTER Cathedral has been granted a licence for alcohol to be served at events in its grounds.

Some nearby residents had complained fearing it would open the way for rock concerts in The Close.

The cathedral argued that the application was simply administrative tidying up after the Licensing Act came into force.

Carol Stefanczuk, assistant licensing and registration officer, said there were noise concerns for residents living nearby but added that if conditions were imposed they could be enforced.

Garth Warns, a resident of Colebrook Street, expressed his concerns over the application and said previous events in the cathedral grounds had meant his two children have been kept awake at night.

He also said that their home had been vandalised and windows smashed after events in the grounds.

"The noise was what we would call unbearable and intolerable. It has disrupted our quality of life quite considerably" said Mr Warns.

Charlotte Boyd, representing the cathedral, told the committee: "The events we have held have included outdoor theatre, where people have been invited to bring their own picnics, and craft markets with less than 500 people attending."

She said that there were no plans for any different events, aside from the Christmas market and ice rink.

Sgt Neil Jenkins said he was happy for the licence to be granted and said it was no different from the type of licence used by Hat Fair organisers earlier in the year The receiver general at the cathedral, Adrian Munns, said the majority of events causing noise were wedding receptions.

"There has been a noise nuisance and what we have tried to do is reach a compromise," he said.

Mr Munns added that a decibel level had been agreed and said that the cathedral, too, had experienced criminal damage from events.

"We see ourselves as working in partnership with everyone we can."