A CHILDREN’S play area could be set for a shot in the arm thanks to drinkers at a village pub.

Plans have been put in place for a beer festival at The Sparrowhawk in Fence next year to raise money for new equipment at the playground in Old Laund Street.

A special beer could be named after the playground, with a percentage of profits from the pints put towards the improvements.

The idea is the brainchild of Old Laund Booth parish councillor Gavin Roper, who has already held a meeting with the Wheatley Lane Road pub’s landlord, Mark Etherington.

A new committee, Fence Friends Park Fund, has been formed to oversee the project, chaired by Coun Diane Hall.

Coun Roper said: “A number of parents have approached the parish council to say that the playground could do with a makeover.

“It’s probably the poorest playground in Pendle but there isn’t a great deal of grant money available from the council to fix it, so we’re trying to come up with ideas to do it ourselves.

“We want to model it on what they’ve done in Barrowford and give it a total revamp with new equipment.

“It probably requires between £40,000 to £75,000 worth of work.”

A grant of £1,400 has been approved by Pendle Council’s Barrowford and Western Parishes committee, which will be spent on urgent repairs needed following the park’s annual inspection.

The committee has also agreed that the money left over from previous grants which have slipped can still be used.

Coun Roper said plans for a beer festival were pencilled in for next spring.

He added: “We want to make a big do out of it, with a big launch night and maybe a competition to name the special beer.

“We’re trying to show some initiative and it may be a bit of a novelty but the pub seem happy to help, so hopefully it will turn out well.”