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Pub landlord promises to keep noise under control after dozens of neighbours complain
A pub landlord has promised to keep noise under control when running free outdoor events after dozens of neighbours objected to his licence renewal.
A tearful mother pleaded with Star & Garter landlord Malcolm Haynes to get a grip on sound levels.
Haynes applied to Bristol City Council to renew its licence to run events for up to 3,000 people on Albany Green, a small park next to the Montpelier pub.
The previous licence was time-limited and expired in February. Councillors on a licensing hearing voted to grant a new licence but with the limit of three music events a year.
Haynes said: “I will admit I did an event last year and it was quite excessive with the noise we had.
“I’m willing to do a noise assessment and I’m happy to look at undertaking an acoustic survey, and then come to a noise management plan.
“I don’t do it for profit; I do it for community engagement and to keep music available to everybody.
“I take on board the complaints about noise and I will address them seriously.”
Dozens of neighbours also attended the licensing hearing on April 2 to object to the plans. They said the music events made the area “hellish” because of the booming noise.
Haynes admitted that previous attempts to limit noise levels were “inadequate”.
His new licence allows eight events a year but only three of which will be music-led.
The Star & Garter faces onto Albany Green – photo: Martin Booth
One local resident speaking at the meeting, a mother of a four-year-old child, said: “I can’t control noise levels in my own house.
“The park really stinks of beer. It’s a really horrible place to be with your child. It’s not a pub back garden; it’s a children’s play park.”
Other complaints also alleged revellers had been urinating in driveways, littering and taking drugs.
As well as disgruntled neighbours, supporters of the pub also spoke at the hearing.
They said the pub played a huge role in supporting the community and the music scene with free events, and suggested some of the problems could be down to homeless street drinkers in the park.
Lib Dem councillor Stephen Williams, chair of the licensing hearing, said the licence would be granted but on stricter conditions than initially applied for.
This includes limiting nose levels one metre from the façade of nearby homes to 65 decibels during music events, capping audiences from 2,000 instead of 3,000, and not holding events on consecutive weekends.
Main photo: Martin Booth
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