A NORTHWICH bar at the centre of a series of complaints over late night noise has had its opening hours cut.
The Garage Café Bar on Castle Street, formerly known as JW’s, has also been banned from putting on live music by Vale Royal Borough Council’s licensing department.
The ruling comes after regular complaints about noise made by music and revellers in the beer garden, which is right next to more than 70 homes, occupied by nearly 200 people.
After hearing evidence from several of the residents at the hearing at Wyvern House, Winsford on October 31, licensing chiefs decided reducing the bar’s opening hours was the only option, a view supported by police.
Cllr John Turnbull, lead councillor for community safeguards, said: “This situation shows that the council's enforcement services will use powers to call for a review of licensed premises where there is a detrimental impact on the amenity of residents.
“A lot of time and effort has been spent monitoring and working with the operators to try to resolve the problems but clearly the situation has not improved.
“In such cases, action will be taken against those who fail to follow the advice and continue to cause disturbance to residents in the vicinity of the premises.”
The Garage can now serve alcohol until 11pm on Sunday-Thursday, as opposed to midnight, and until 11.30pm on Friday and Saturday, instead of 1am. There will be no live entertainment, and the beer garden must be closed by 10.30pm every night.
