Restaurant claims noise from nearby Northampton bar is driving away punters

Owners of The Department of Meat and Social Affairs in Bridge Street came under fire for excessive noise back in 2014, when the venue was called the Department for Liquor and Social Affairs.

An event titled the Attik Garden Party held in that year drew complaints from nearby businesses and residents, who said “low thumping bass” could be heard coming from the nightspot until after midnight.

A committee in 2014 imposed measures requiring music levels to be monitored routinely at the venue and any complaints about noise to be dealt with swiftly.

But a licensing committee has been called to review its premises licence once again, after claims by the nearby Church Restaurant that the volume of music is still driving diners away.

A letter from The Church restaurant to the borough council in June read: “Once again we have experienced noise emanating from the venue, which has negatively impacted on our operation.

“Furthermore, we have, once again,been left with no option but to endure both the noise and their unhelpful manner.”

The Church claims to have attempted to work with the owners to combat noise.

The premises will face a licence review at Guildhall during a committee hearing on Thursday, September 15, at which the owners, The Old Northampton Group, will be able to make representations.

However, papers to the committee show other nearby businesses also wrote to complain about the venue. The Attik Garden party held in the garden area on Saturday, July 2 this year, was again the subject of complaints.

A spokesman for the Albion Brewery Bar, which is near to the premises, contacted the council on that day to complain the “eight-hour garden party” was so loud it had driven “all” his customers away.

The pub claimed to have asked the manager at the Department of Meat and Social Affairs to turn the music down, only to be told “certainly not.”

And Plough Hotel bosses claimed they had to move guests into different rooms as the noise was so loud.

The licensing sub-committee hearing will take place at 8am on Thursday, September 15.