Bradford Bulls was today granted an 11th hour licence to hold outdoor events at the Provident Stadium, the day before its first major pop concert with 1980s icons Rick Astley and Belinda Carlisle tonight.

Bradford Council’s gave the Super League club permission to stage gigs on the pitch at Odsal and serve alcohol outdoors until 10.30pm, despite some objections.

Had the licence been refused, tomorrow's 80s Strike Back show, which is expecting a crowd of up to 10,000, could have been in doubt.

The Telegraph & Argus last week reported how OK Bulls Ltd had applied for a licence to sell alcohol and put on entertainment until 2am daily at the venue, but said outdoor events would stop by 11pm. But the licencing committee has received 42 objections from residents and councillors.

Speaking to the licensing panel at City Hall today, former Council leader Ian Greenwood, senior non-executive director at Bradford Bulls, said although the club had asked for permission to stage events every night of the week, it only planned to hold up to three a year.

He said: “We never had any intention of running events later into the night than the programme running tomorrow, which is 7pm to 10pm.”

Councillor John Warburton (Lab, Wyke) said people were concerned about a lack of consultation.

However, the panel agreed to “compromise” and granted the club permission to serve alcohol and hold outdoor events until 10.30pm, with conditions that it placed prominent signs urging revellers to leave the site quietly and operated a Challenge 25 policy in its bars.

It was also told it must inform the Council about how many events it wished to hold by February 1 each year.

Coun John Rudding, (Lab) chairman of the committee, said: “We would like to wish the Bulls success.”

Speaking afterwards, Bulls’ owner Omar Khan said: “These concerts will allow the club to bring revenue into the city – there will be people staying in local hotels, using taxi firms and going out to restaurants for food.”