Shropshire Star

Threat to ex-player's Shrewsbury bar over noise complaints

A bar set up by a former Shrewsbury Town player could have its licence revoked over complaints from residents about noise.

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Shropshire Council's Public Protection Team, which is responsible for Environmental Health issues, has applied for a review of the premises licence for St Nicholas Cafe, in Castle Street, Shrewsbury.

The bar, which also includes a Moroccan spa, was set up by former Town goalkeeper Ben Smith and his wife Stephanie last year. The couple hold the bar's licence jointly.

It was officially opened in May by Fearne McCann, a star of the reality TV show The Only Way is Essex.

As part of its licence, the bar is permitted to host indoor music - live or recorded - between 10am and midnight, from Monday to Saturday.

A hearing of the council's licensing act sub committee will take place at Shirehall on Wednesday.

The report says that the council's Public Protection Team has been investigating complaints from six neighbouring residential properties about "noise and public nuisance" since May 2014.

The complaints are said to relate to the noise created by music at the bar as well as "noise and anti-social behaviour from people congregating outside the premises, who were or had been using the premises".

A noise abatement order was issued to the premises in March this year which included restrictions on the licence.

The council report says the order was designed to "prevent the occurrence of a nuisance by ceasing to hold musical entertainment, implementing an effective noise management plan or by any other means at the site to prevent the recurrence of a noise nuisance".

However, despite the notice and restrictions on the premises licence, council officers say that noise issues have continued and the application for a review has been submitted in an attempt to address them.

The report indicates that police have also supported the grounds for a review of the licence.

There will be a number of options open to the committee which is carrying out the review, ranging from taking no action to revoking the licence altogether.

Shropshire Councillor Andrew Bannerman said he was in favour of a review due to the concerns of residents.

He said: "I welcome the review because there have been a lot of complaints and I think if there have been complaints, and these are substantiated, then we have to look at it."

"I am not pre-judging the issue, we will have to wait and see from the review process what decision is taken but I do welcome the opportunity to look at it."

Mr Smith did not wish to comment.

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