Threat to historic music venue lifted as noise abatement notice quashed
Local Government, Planning and Environment
A noise abatement notice that threatened to stop live music being played at The Star Inn in Guildford, a longstanding music venue where The Stranglers first performed, has been quashed at Guildford Magistrates’ Court. The notice was served last year by Guildford Borough Council following complaints from the developer of flats next door.
District Judge Wattam held that noise from The Star Inn had not been a nuisance before the flats had been created from a former office building, and since the conversion there had been no change in the way The Star Inn operated. Applying dicta from the case of Lawrence v Fen Tigers [2014] UKSC, [2014] AC 822, the District Judge held that there had been no nuisance when the abatement notice was served.
Robin Green acted for Shepherd Neame Ltd, the owner of The Star Inn.
