Licensing restrictions imposed on A-fe-we bar in Hulme

Manchester City Council, with support from Greater Manchester Police, has imposed licensing restrictions on A-fe-w bar in Hulme following a premises licence review hearing, after complaints of noise.

Reduced opening hours, restrictions on the sale of alcohol and restrictions on the hours of entertainment are now in place.

The premises must also employ door supervisors to help with the effective dispersal of customers to prevent a nuisance to people living nearby.

Environmental Health applied for the review following a number of complaints about the levels of music from the bar on Royce Road. As a result of officers undertaking night time monitoring of the premises a noise abatement notice was served on the bar in February 2007 due to unacceptable noise levels being witnessed.

In subsequent night time checks officers also witnessed the bar's licence being breached as the music noise emanating from the premises was audible at nearby residential properties and the premises was failing to uphold one of the four licensing objectives - the prevention of public nuisance.

Councillor Jim Battle, deputy leader of Manchester City Council said: "The bar operators blatantly ignored the noise abatement notice and continued to operate in such a way as to cause noise nuisance to local residents. We had no choice but to take action and we will continue to use the new powers under the Licensing Act to benefit residents when operators breach their licence."

The opening hours for the premises are: Sunday to Thursday 12:00 - 23:00. Friday and Saturday 12:00 - 00:00 (Prior to review Sunday to Thursday 12:00 - 00:30. Friday and Saturday 12:00 - 02:30).

Alcohol sales to cease one hour prior to this (Sunday to Thursday 22:00 Friday and Saturday 23:00) and all regulated entertainment to cease by 23:00.

Media Contact: Jacqueline Meenan, tel 0161 234 4027