Villagers in Pendle protest over ‘noisy pub’ (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Villagers in Pendle protest over ‘noisy pub’

2:25pm Monday 21st November 2011 in Fence By Gemma Ruth Hartley

NOISY The Bay Horse, Fence

MUSIC and noise from a village pub in Pendle is keeping residents awake into the early hours.

People who live near the Bay Horse at Fence were given diaries by Pendle Council to keep a record of incidents after complaining about the boozer.

The pub, in Wheatley Lane Road, has permission to sell alcohol until 2am on Friday and Saturdays, with drinking-up time at 2.30am.

Town hall bosses said they had received 26 complaints about the pub over the past year.

But owner Mark Allen said he had already spoken to residents and taken action to address their concerns ahead of a hearing this week.

The Bay Horse was granted permission to extend its opening hours in August last year.

In a diary entry, a resident said: “Two youths urinated against a wall on Wheatley Lane Road, after leaving the pub shouting obscene language at one another.”

Residents have also raised concerns over broken glass and bottles posing a danger to children, dogs and cars.

Another said: “This has become a weekly task for locals, every morning we clean up the mess.”

Environmental health officer Clare Bramley visited the premises after being contacted by a resident on July 8. From outside the pub she said she could hear music, including Hero by Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin’s party favourite, Livin’ La Vida Loca.

Mr Allen said he had visited locals at their homes to allay their fears, and he had installed a noise-limiter to prevent music being played too loud. If the noise goes above a level set by Pendle’s environmental health team, the pub’s power supply is cut off completely.

To address the problem with bottles and glass, Mr Allen said customers will be stopped if they try to leave with drinks.

He said: “I've gone round door-to-door myself, so I could understand what their issues are.

"We value our business, as our business is only as good as our customers.

“We hope the meeting is a situation whereby the committee are sympathetic to our cause and appreciate the steps we have taken to solve concerns and keep customers happy.”

Pendle Council's Licencing Committee will discuss the pub’s opening hours at Nelson Town Hall on Friday.