THE wedding dreams of a hundred brides could be ruined if council planners force a hotel to take down the marquee in its grounds.

It was erected one weekend at Horncliffe Mansion, Rawtenstall, almost two years ago but proved so popular with brides and people organising large functions that proprietor Jane Taylor left it.

It is now fully booked with wedding receptions until the end of 1998. But an application to keep it at the hotel and restaurant on Bury Road for another five years has fallen foul of planning regulations.

Families living on Bury Road and nearby Crow Woods have complained to Rossendale Council about noise.

Mrs Taylor has offered to move the marquee to another part of the grounds but planners say residents will still be disturbed. They are advising the council's planning sub-committee which meets tonight to refuse the application on the grounds of nuisance and the fact that Horncliffe Mansion is a Grade Two listed building in a Green Belt.

But Mrs Taylor says the marquee is constantly in use for weddings and charity functions because it is the only place in the Valley which can seat 200.

The hotel now employs 11 full-time and 39 part-time staff.

Its owners say the marquee is essential if staff are to keep their jobs because the hotel does not have any rooms capable of holding such large numbers of people.

But planning officers say siting the marquee in the hotel grounds even on a temporary basis is against Green Belt policy.

In a report to the committee they say there have been numerous complaints about noise and moving the marquee would not improve matters.

They add that the hotel is a grade two listed building with elaborate architectural features and the marquee detracts from its appearance because the two structures have nothing in common.

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