FEARS that patrons may be forced to have a 'dry night' while attending shows at the Regional Sports Complex have been shot down by local councillors.

It follows the move by members of the local council not to deny patrons an alcoholic beverage before or during a show at the centre.

At Monday night's meeting of the local authority members refused to support a call from Green Party councillor Neil Clarke banning alcohol at the complex. He wanted to make it an alcohol free zone.

"I don't think alcohol and sport necessarily mix," he said.

"We should not be associated with the selling of alcohol, we should not allow it," Cllr Clarke said.

The motion only received the support of one other member, Cllr Jim Lynch who said if anyone wanted a drink while attending events at the centre, they could go to other licensed premises nearby.

"There is an emphasis on health at the Leisure Centre and it's a bit of a contradiction to me that on the one hand, you have health promotion and on the other hand, you are serving alcohol at events," Cllr Lynch said.

Cllr Dessie Larkin however, pointed out that the council themselves offer wine at all civic functions organised by the local authority. He said a ban on alcohol at events might encourage people to 'binge drink' elsewhere before hand.

"We are not talking about alcohol for the centre - but alcohol for the events. There will be probably no more than one concert a month," he said.

"I agree that we should not be promoting alcohol but letting people have a drink at a performance is not promoting alcohol. We have a contract with Aura and we should let them run it," Cllr Larkin said.

Cllr Victor Fisher also agreed that the Town Council should not move to impose a drink ban on the Sports Complex while Cllr Gerry McMonagle pointed to the success of the system in place at An Grianán Theatre. Cllr Damien Blake wondered if the new complex would lose events if an alcohol ban was in place.