Request made to review licence of Shropshire cocktail bar at centre of noise complaints

A request has been made to review the licence of a town centre cocktail bar and restaurant that has been at the centre of noise complaints.

Last month, Shropshire Council's Licensing Act Sub-Committee issued a counter notice that blocked The Greenhouse in Bridgnorth from hosting a DJ-led music event last Saturday (September 5).

The request for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) was made by the High Street premises' owners, Cocktail Club Ltd, who said it would be held from 2pm to 8.30pm and for up to 499 people.

However, environmental protection officer, Robert Bowland, said noise complaints had been received by nearby residents regarding previous events.

An abatement notice was subsequently served on the venue after officers undertook noise monitoring of two events held in July.

Mr Bowland said the venue's speaker's were the kind expected at a festival and not for a pub beer garden in the middle of a market town.

He even compared the "four huge speakers" to a high performance Ferrari car and crowds were encouraged "to be louder and make more more noise."

Mr Bowland has now requested that The Greenhouse's licence is reviewed "on the grounds that the premises operates in such a manner as to undermine the licensing objectives concerning public nuisance".

At the committee hearing last month, Mr Bowland said the operators had "shown contempt for the neighbours and the council", and it was time to bring noisy events to close “to give the residents some peace.”

Responding to the comparison of the loudspeakers to a Ferrari, David Howells, a director of Cocktail Bar Ltd, said the appearance was “more aesthetic” and that a Ferrari “can be driven at 30mph.”

Fellow director Andy Rhodes added that the venue - the "oldest licensed premise in Bridgnorth" - had “failed in every iteration’ and the owners were investing hundreds of thousands of pounds and making a go of it.

“I do not feel we are abusing the garden,” he said.

“Tolerance has to be both ways.”

In a statement, the directors of The Greenhouse said they were aware of the request for their licence to be reviewed.

"We take our responsibilities seriously, and work hard to ensure our operating practices are appropriate and proportionate," they said. "We are legally entitled to 15 TENs events per year yet only apply for 10, two of which are held during the town's busy Music Festival weekend.

"Our events are varied and enjoyed by thousands of locals and tourists across the summer, bringing considerable variety and economic benefits to the town. "Following the review application, we have written to the council to ask for further information and evidence to ensure that we are not being singled out in the town, and that they are applying a fair and consistent approach, which is questionable.

"We stand by our own evidence and control measures and will be responding to the council in full as part of this review once we have the information and evidence we have requested.

"We remain committed to working constructively with the council and local residents, and we're confident that a fair and evidence-based review will reflect the steps we've taken to operate responsibly."

Representations can be made up to October 5.