Duchy Arms and Area licensing reviews because of noise disruption

 The Council's Noise Service has applied for reviews of the licence for two separate premises in our area because of disruption to residents caused by noise.


The Duchy Arms, 63 Sancroft Street


Grounds for review:

Lambeth Noise Service is making this REVIEW as a result of noise complaints received from residents and following an inspection of the premises.

Complaint History

A total of five complaints have been received this year from four different complainants:

22.1.12 at 00:42 hours - loud amplified music & bass - complainant lives in Newquay House, Sancroft Street SE11 5UN. Officers called back but received no reply.

6.5.12 at 00:46 hours - loud music and shouting - complainant lives in Courtenay Street SE11 5PH. Call cancelled by complainant before officers arrived.

26.5.12 at 01:43 hours - loud music from a non-amplified musical instrument - complainant lives in Newquay House, Sancroft Street SE11 5UN.

14.7.12 at 02:27 hours - loud shouting outside pub, 6-12 people drunk since 23:30hours.
Complainant lives in Newquay House, Sancroft Street SE11 5UN.

21.7.12 at 12:32 hours (Email to Cllr S Morgan) - loud amplified music, over 40 people drinking in the street, singing, shouting, smoking, arguing, swearing. Police attended having been called by another neighbour.
No statutory nuisance has been substantiated by noise officers due to the noise being lowered, stopped, or no visit being made.

Noise Officers visited the premise on 31.7.2012 at 17:25 hours and spoke to the Designated Premises Supervisor. Officers were advised that there is no automatic noise control device installed at the premises to control amplified music. There is a juke box connected to five loudspeakers and DJ's bring in there own sound equipment. There is a small wall-mounted volume control device which is manually operated and can be easily tampered with by staff. Officers do not consider that the wall mounted device is an appropriate means of controlling amplified music noise on the premises.
There is only one A4 sized public notice displayed on the rear exit door to the car park asking customers to leave quietly. Officers recommended that further signs should be placed on each of the other two exit doors.

Officers are of the opinion that the failure to install a sound-limiting device which is set to officers' satisfaction is a breach of the licence condition under Annex-2, No.2 the prevention of public nuisance. .

Furthermore, the failure to display 'quiet' signs on all the exit doors is also considered to be in contravention of Annex-2 condition (No.2) the prevention of public nuisance.

To prevent public nuisance, officers recommend the following:

1. The terminal hour be reduced to 23:00 hours.

2. A suitable automated sound limiting device be installed at the premises to control all amplified music and/or speech. The device shall be set at a level determined and approved by the Licensing Authority (Noise Officers) and thereafter maintained at the approved level for the duration of use.

Please direct any queries in respect of this application to the following case officer: Sarah Williams
Telephone: 020 7926 6141 Email: SGWilliams@lambeth.gov.uk

Area - 67-68 Albert Embankment, SE1 7TP  

Grounds for review:

This Review is being made on the grounds that the premises generate noise complaints from local residents. Officers believe the activities at these premises engaged the public nuisance element of the licensing objectives.

Noise officers visited Albert Embankment on 26.8.12 at 08:00 hours and observed loud amplified bass music emanating from the premises known as Area. Officers visited a complainant living in St Georges Wharf and clearly heard loud bass music while standing in the complainants bedroom. The officers reported that although the bass was clearly audible it did not amount to a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act.1990. However, the officers believe that the degree of interference and annoyance caused by the bass music noise did engage the public nuisance element of the licensing objectives under the Licensing Act 2003.

At 08:33 the officers revisited Albert Embankment and confirmed the source of the noise as being Area night club. Officers observed that the main entrance door was kept wide open white the inner lobby door was closed. Officers met Mr Ryan Elder, the Licensee and together they inspected the music sound system & DJ console. Officers believe that there is no automatic sound limiter in place to satisfactorily regulate and control the volume of the music. Officers believe that a compressor unit is connected to the sound system but they are not satisfied with the settings as bass noise continues to emanate from the premises into the surrounding area and remains audible in residential premises.

Officers consider the following conditions should be applied to the premises licence.

1. A suitable automatic sound limiting device shall be installed at the premises to control all amplified music and/or speech. The device shall be pre-approved by noise officers and the acceptable level of noise shall be determined and set to officers' satisfaction and thereafter maintained at the approved level for the duration of use.

2. Both lobby entrance doors should remain closed while regulated entertainment takes place and that the doors should be operated one at a time to allow patrons to enter and leave the premises with minimal noise escape.

Officers additional concerns or comments:

Noise officers are concerned about the opening hours of the venue and would prefer to see terminal hours brought back to a more reasonable time, for example 03:00 hours.

Please direct any queries in respect of this application to the following case officer: Mrs Sarah Williams
Telephone: 020 7926 6141 Email: SGWilliams@lambeth.gov.uk





Deadline for representations for either case is 28 September 2012

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Feel free to contact us for advice about making a representation.