The Eastfield Bowling Club’s alcohol licence was under threat at a review hearing of West Dunbartonshire Council’s licensing board last week but officials decided the club could keep its licence. The review was called by police on the grounds of ‘preventing crime and disorder’ after they claimed to have found a party under way at the club at around 1.50am on January 1 – despite the licensing hours finishing at midnight. A police report said officers were went to the club to investigate after a burglar alarm went off and arrived to find around 20 people drinking in the bar area and music playing over the club’s sound system. The report said the bar was closed at the time but patrons were drinking their own alcohol in the bar area. The report adds that officers spoke to the bowling club’s premises manager John Duff on the night and charged him with contravening licensing laws by allegedly allowing people to drink alcohol in a licensed premises outwith the permitted hours. Both the club’s licence and Mr Duff’s own personal licence were under review at the West Dunbartonshire Licensing Board meeting on Tuesday and members decided the incident was ‘unlikely to recur’. Board members also heard from a report by Peter Clyde, the council’s licensing standards officer, who said: “In my view there was no malicious intent to contravene the legislation in this case. It would appear that the root of this breach was ignorance of the offence.” He said he came to the conclusion after talking to club officials at a meeting said held at club on January 12 and added that since the alcohol reportedly being drunk at the time of the incident was not being sold, the club was not making a profit from breaching the licencing laws. A council spokeswoman said: “The grounds of review in this matter were found to be established and the club was issued with a written warning in terms of the act. “The board took no action against the personal licence of the designated premises manager, Mr John Duff, being satisfied that the incident was an error that was unlikely to recur.” Mr Duff declined to comment and no one was available to comment from the bowling club.