A ROMAN Catholic primary school has become the first in Bexley to apply for a premises licence under the new Licensing Act.

The application, from Our Lady of the Rosary school in Holbeach Gardens, Blackfen, provoked a strong reaction from neighbours who feared the school might be hired out for events where alcohol was available.

More than 30 residents lodged objections to the school's application for an entertainment licence from Sunday to Thursday between 9am and 10pm and Friday and Saturday from 9am to midnight and a late-night refreshment licence on Friday and Saturday between 11pm and midnight.

And eight residents turned up at Bexley Council's licensing sub-committee, to object.

The council's environmental health department also opposed it because the licence would be so wide ranging.

But just after opening the hearing, the meeting was adjourned so headteacher John Murphy could meet objectors to try to come to a compromise.

Mr Murphy had already reassured the sub-committee the school was not applying for an alcohol licence.

Residents heard some activities organised by parents in schools across the borough would need to be licensed under the new Act.

Instead of making individual applications for a temporary licence for each event, which would cost £21 a time, the school had decided to ask for a premises licence costing £100.

Mr Murphy assured parents there was no intention to vastly increase the number of events held at the school, nor to hire the school out to others for social activities.

He agreed to limit the number of events to 12 a year. Only two would last until midnight on a Friday or Saturday night.

In response to concerns, the school also agreed not to hold any events at all on a Sunday.

Because of complaints about parking in the surrounding streets, Mr Murphy agreed to open up the playground for marshalled parking.

He also agreed to put rubbish bins at the exit gates to reduce the litter dropped in the street and in neighbours' gardens by departing parents.

A limit of 700 people was included on the licence to cover the school's annual fete.

All the objectors at the meeting, including the environmental health department, dropped their opposition to the licence, which was granted.