Licensing restrictions imposed on Hulme bar

A bar has been ordered to cut its opening hours after complaints from residents about noise levels and concerns about the way the premises were being run.

Manchester City Council, with support from Greater Manchester Police and residents, imposed licensing restrictions on The Grand Junction Hotel in Rolls Crescent, Hulme, following a licence review hearing held at Manchester Town Hall on Thursday, May 8.

The bar has now had its closing times reduced from 1am to midnight throughout the week and from 2am to 1am during weekends, while managers have been told the sale of alcohol must finish half an hour before these times.

The City Council's environmental health officers applied for the review after complaints about the levels of music coming from the bar and noise from customers gathering outside.

Officers from the City Council's public protection team had served a noise abatement notice on the bar after they monitored the premises during the evening and found unacceptable noise levels coming from the bar.

However, the officers later returned and found licence conditions being breached, as music from the premises could be heard in nearby flats and a beer garden was being used after 11.30pm.

Councillor Neil Swannick, Executive Member for the Environment, said: "The premises' operators blatantly ignored the noise abatement notice and continued to operate in such a way as to cause noise nuisance to local residents.

"When operators breach their licence conditions, we have no choice but to take action and use our powers under the Licensing Act."

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Conrad Astley, tel: 0161 234 4027