A FARM activity centre is set to be created in a rural village, despite concerns it will attract drunken stag and hen parties.

Councillors have approved proposals for Cae Bach in Bronington, between Whitchurch and Wrexham, where visitors will be able to take part in a range of activities including sheep gathering, pig herding, welly tossing, egg throwing, tug of war, greasy pole and relay races.

The site will be run by Farm Adventure, which has a similar centre in Yorkshire hosting stag and hen dos, corporate team building events and educational activities.

Reading from the company’s website, Bronington councillor Rodney Skelland raised fears over stag and hen packages advertising ‘butlers in the buff’ and ‘hilarious greasy pole activities’, because of the farm being located next to the parish church.

Speaking at a Wrexham Council planning committee meeting, he said: “Having been to many stag parties myself, clearly these are going to be raucous, noisy, alcohol-fuelled events, which would be difficult to control through licensing and very dependent on the organisers to control.

“Some of the activities I know personally from experience can get out of hand.

“It’s quite close to the village and it’s quite close to the church and one or two residents. We do need to be able to control it and my feeling is that the conditions are not enough as it stands.”

Applicant Rob Middleton said the existing business had an “unblemished reputation” and that no alcohol would be available on site.

He added that more than 120 students had gained qualifications at the centre in the last five years, many of whom had learning difficulties or were from deprived backgrounds.

He said: “There has been a lot of frantic summising that we look to attract hen and stag parties and therefore everybody must be drunk.

“Please be assured that we run a very professional business. No alcohol is to be consumed before or during activities.

“Anybody who we suspect has had alcohol will not be permitted to stay on site and that is what you’d expect from a well run business in 2018.

“It is not the 1930s where you do something, give them a few whiskys and have a laugh at their expense.”

He added the centre would mostly be used for school groups on four days a week, with adult visitors usually arriving on Saturdays and the facility being closed on Sundays.

Committee chairman Michael Morris asked if conditions could be included to restrict the activities to those listed in the application.

He said: “It was one of the reasons I asked specifically of Mr Middleton whether there were going to be parties there and we had the assurance that there weren’t, and it was in line with the activities that are listed on page 108 in the planning report.

“It’s been a long while since I attempted to ride a greasy pole, but I think to some extent what we’ve got is the list in front of us.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Paul Pemberton said he was ‘surprised’ by Cllr Skelland’s comments and that concerns about alcohol consumption could be dealt with if a licensing application was entered at a later date.

He said: “I think he must have led a very sheltered life if he hasn’t experienced some of these (activities).

“I’m just looking at the application, it’s for a farm education and activity centre.

“Now that’s on a farm and I can’t think of anywhere more appropriate for it to go.”

Committee members unanimously voted to approve the proposals subject to restrictions being placed on the activities which can take place.