Entertainment events and festivals will be allowed at Old Town's Town Gardens and the Bowl amphitheatre without the park's managers having to get permission every time.

South Swindon Parish Council has been granted a premises licence by Swindon Borough Council. It had asked for a licence to put on events on any day, along with permission to sell alcohol, up to 10.30pm, extended to 11pm on Friday or Saturday nights.

Having a premises licence means it no longer has to apply for a specific temporary licence for every event it wants to put on.

Two people in the area objected to the bid. Quarry Road resident Karen Down-Barton said she and her neighbours already suffered as a results of drunkenness, drug taking and dealing and anti-social behaviour in the park. She said: “This licence will have a significant impact on the quality of life of everyone in the area. When would we be able to have someone round and have a window open in the summer? I’m flabbergasted this has been proposed.”

Another neighbour, Robert Dewdney, suggested amendments to the licence – such as having no more than 12 events with amplified music over a summer, no events on consecutive weekends and an earlier limit to the sales of alcohol.

The borough's licensing panel decided only 12 high impact amplified music events after 6pm can be held every three months. There can be more frequent open-air theatre productions and classical music events and Sunday brass band concerts are not affected. Alcohol sales are allowed. The parish council agreed after talks with residents to drop a request to licence boxing and wrestling and to be able to show films.