Late-night Hereford venues clock up noise complaints

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Wednesday, 23 August 2023 19:03

By Gavin McEwan - Local Democracy Reporter

Four late-opening Hereford nightspots have been regularly clocking up complaints over noise, it has been revealed.

In response to a freedom of information (FOI) request, Herefordshire Council has said over 30 complaints had been made or concerns raised by members of the public or by its own officers about the four city venues since 2020.

Play on Blueschool Street, open on Friday and Saturday nights only until 4am, has had seven complaints or concerns raised over noise – one in 2021, four in 2022, and two in 2023 to date.

The Left Bank Village on Bridge Street, open “till late” seven days a week, has had five – one in each of 2020 and 2021, two in 2022 and one so far this year.

Hogarths, a “gin palace” with a beer garden on Commercial Road open until midnight on Thursdays and till 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, has had 12 – one in 2020, seven in 2022 and four to date in 2023.

And the Babar Café music venue on Union Street, open till midnight on Wednesdays and Thursdays and till 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, has had eight – one in 2021, six in 2022 and one in 2023.

Babar Café has since announced it will close at the end of next month.

The FOI request appears to have been prompted by a licensing bid by a fifth city nightspot, The Venue in Gaol Street.

Its owner Steven Harrison told a council licensing meeting last week: “I requested information on four other random pubs and clubs in Hereford, which cumulatively have had 30 complaints [since 2021].”

“The Venue has had no noise complaints in three years.”

His application to extend the club’s licence to include an outdoor bar was approved.