Oswestry golf club flags up need for night watchman

Oswestry Golf Club has asked for planning permission to allow someone to live on-site and act as a night watchman following a recent break-in at the club.

Malcolm Smith, club chairman, has put in an application to remove restrictions on who could live in the house behind the club's main building.

Mr Smith said: "In 1985 we had the house built to accommodate a steward and stewardess. We want to get the planning restriction lifted so that we can have someone living there to help out with the bar and so on, and also be a night watchman."

Staff are worried after the club suffered a break in on September 8.

John Evans, club secretary, said: "There's been a spate of burglaries in rural areas recently, and it's normal to have someone living on site."

Without the usual steward or stewardess, Oswestry Golf Club is hoping a staff or club member and their family will be able to live in the house, Mr Smith said.

But the planning restriction, dating back to June 1985, says occupancy is currently restricted to "the steward/stewardess of Oswestry Golf Club and his/her family."

Mr Smith said: "We no longer employ a steward or stewardess and neither the chef or the bar manageress require living accommodation.

"However, following a spate of criminal activity in and around the golf club we realise that we need the house at rear to be occupied to provide security to the site."

He said the club is asking for the occupancy restriction to be removed. If that isn't allowed, the club is asking for the restriction to be varied to allow for a staff member or member of the club and their family to live in the house.

Shropshire Council will make a decision on the application later this year.