THE bowling club attached to a thriving country pub has agreed to lose part of its Crown green in return for better drainage and a place to have a pint while watching games.

The Butler’s Arms pub in Pleasington, on the outskirts of Blackburn, has been give planning permission to build a £40,000 exterior bar and seating area.

The area will be on decking at the back of the pub and overhang the green by around six feet.

In return the bowlers get a small spectator area and somewhere to buy and enjoy their drinks and a bite to eat during play.

Landlord Michael Hales, 42, said the project was an improvement to the drainage of the whole green, a registered ‘ Community Asset’.

Neighbour and Livesey with Pleasington councillor John Pearson, who objected to the scheme, said he was happy with the decision by Blackburn with Darwen Planning Committee to permit the development with conditions.

He added: “I and my neighbours will be keeping an ear on the result to make sure there is not too much noise and nuisance.”

Mr Hales, who took over the pub in September last year, said: “We are doing very well and this extension is a result of that.

“We asked the Butler’s Arms Bowling Club about losing around six feet of what is a large green in return for improved drainage and it was passed by its annual meeting.

“I and the club are now going to apply for grants to further improve the green.

“There will now be somewhere for them to sit and watch the play and somewhere to get a drink and something to eat without trailing through the restaurant.

“When I took over the pub was really struggling but we are now thriving with a good food trade and are in the final round of the Lancashire Life Food pub of the year competition.

“The bowling club are an important part of the operation and we invested £5,000 of our own money in the green and the club has gone up from three teams to five with a lot of new younger members.

“Obviously I shall be monitoring the level of noise carefully.”

The extension includes a television and string lighting for drinkers and diners.

The proposal resulted in three letters of objection from residents living near the pub concerned about disturbance to the quiet ‘village’ atmosphere of the area.