RACE bosses have reassured residents that an application for a permanent entertainments licence will not mean a "deluge of dos" on Knavesmire.

City of York councillors will meet on Monday to determine a licence allowing York Racecourse to hold five events throughout the year - serving alcohol until 4am.

James Brennan, racecourse marketing manager, said the application was needed because of changes in the way licences were determined.

Earlier this year, The Press reported how City of York Council had succeeded in obtaining a permanent licence for Knavesmire, which means it no longer has to make an application for each and every event it wishes to hold on the public land.

Mr Brennan said there was a similar principle behind the racecourse's application, and that it did not mean that additional events were planned.

The racecourse hosts a number of university student summer and winter balls during the year.

The new licence would, however, give the racecourse an extra hour to serve drinks.

Its current licence runs until 3am.

Some residents have lodged objections to the application, saying the existing use of the racecourse for late-night entertainment causes a nuisance to nearby homes in South Bank.

One wrote to the council: "Currently we have to listen to loud thumping music until 3am, often accompanied by what appears to be unauthorised use of the PA system very late at night."

But Mr Brennan said: "This is not indicative of any change in policy, or a plan to do something different.

"We hope we are good neighbours, as we always want to be.

"We are very mindful of being part of the community and this is a process of changing how we attain licences."

Coun Andy D'Agorne, Coun Ken King and Coun Richard Moore will be on the council's licensing panel, which will consider the application from 10am on Monday.

Objections to stables booze

LICENSING bosses are to determine whether an alcohol licence should be granted for York Racecourse Stables.

The racecourse has applied for a premises licence for the stables, allowing it to sell alcohol, put on entertainment and provide late-night refreshment.

Marketing manager James Brennan said the racecourse had no plans to host additional events, but held an annual end-of-season barbeque with stables staff which needed to be licensed.

That has not stopped residents objecting to the application, which will be determined by City of York Council's licensing committee on Monday.

One resident wrote to council officers: "Any use of the stables outside of race events would, by definition, mean that the stables would not be used for professional race staff, and therefore the likelihood of significant noise and alcohol- related nuisances would rise dramatically."

Meanwhile, the new season kicks off next week with the three-day Dante Festival.

Updated: 09:49 Saturday, May 13, 2006