A DECISION by the committee that runs the main community centre in Tetbury not to allow alcohol at teenage parties held in the hall has upset an elderly resident in the town.

Mrs Pamela Chin, 88, was dismayed and confused when she was told that booze could not be permitted at joint birthday celebrations for herself and her family at Tetbury’s Dolphins Hall.

Officials from the hall told Mrs Chin that she could not have alcohol at the party, which was organised to celebrate her birthday and those of two younger family members, on Saturday, February 8.

Following the decision, Mrs Chin, whose family has booked the hall nine times in the last ten years, cancelled the party as she thought it would be impossible for guests to have a good celebration without alcohol.

Mrs Chin says she was told by an official that Tracey Woodward, landlady of the Greyhound pub in Tetbury, who provides the bar licence for parties at the venue, would not allow drink because of violence at previous parties.

Mrs Chin, of St Mary’s Road, said: “I am getting old now and it could be my last birthday party so I am very disappointed. I do not think that I will want to have a party at the Dolphins Hall again.

“We have never had a complaint and never had any trouble over the years. We have had 18th and 21st birthday parties and lots more.

“A few years ago there was some youngsters causing trouble across from our party but it wasn’t us, and we have had several parties since and been allowed alcohol.

“I will not be giving them any more donations, if they come here asking for donations for the new Dolphins Hall I will not be giving any.”

Mrs Woodward told the Standard that the decision was made by the Dolphins Hall committee because of trouble at previous parties involving young people.

“It is just because we cannot do 18th birthday parties with alcohol. We just do not do those sort of parties now. It was a group decision between me and the Dolphins Hall,” she said.

It is common practice at venues, not just in the Cotswolds but all over the country, not to allow alcohol at parties involving teenagers when the venue is in or close to residential areas because of the history of unruly behaviour and noise that frequently results.