ARTHURLIE FC Social Club is back in business after its month-long booze ban came to an end. As revealed in the News, the Barrhead club was stripped of its drinks licence in March after a spate of incidents outside the venue over the past three years.

A report handed to East Renfrewshire's licensing board by police contained almost 30 separate complaints of violence or disorder at or outside the Ralston Road venue backed up by damning CCTV evidence.

But the club responded to the licensing board's sanctions with vow to clean up its act - introducing stringent new measures starting with the reallocation of memberships.

Other steps include a new code of conduct, tough new membership rules and a CCTV screen on the entry to the club warning patrons their every move will be caught on camera.

Social club president Billy Anderson says that business has been slow since the club reopened on May 1, but said the board would continue on its mission to attract "the right people" back to the once illustrious club.

He told the News: "We've been quiet since we reopened but that was to be expected.

"We have been going over all the memberships and there have been quite a few of the old members who we don't really want back, but hopefully we will start to attract back the right kind of people again."

Newly elected Barrhead councillor Kenny Hay is closely associated with junior football having been a referee in the game for many years.

And he has backed the club's new regime, and even plans to on apply for a membership himself.

He said: "I think it was a sad state of affairs that Arthurlie club ever went that far.

"However, the committee have admitted that the punishment was justified and they have put in place these hard hitting new rules - and have in many ways gone further than they probably had to in order to improve.

"I think when the club gets back up and running it will be a far better place than it was before." The club's licence to sell alcohol was suspended on March 29 after an East Renfrewshire licensing board were shown the shocking footage.

They also lost their late night openings and they are now barred from holding functions for under-25s - rules which still apply.