Pubs face double whammy over noise and ladies’ nights

A Nottingham solicitor is warning pubs and clubs that they will soon have to clamp down on late-night noise or risk being fined up to £5000.

And they could face another blow by having to ban ladies’ nights when new European Union regulations on equal rights come into force in December.

Vicky Newman, a licensing specialist at Andersons Solicitors in Nottingham, says the two measures are unrelated but could have a serious impact on local pubs and clubs.

“The clampdown on noise is part of the new Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act. From October this year it will be an offence for licensed premises to create excessive noise between eleven o’clock at night and seven in the morning.

“Landlords who exceed the limits could face on the spot fines of up to £500. That could rise to fines of £5000 if the case goes to court.”

Ms Newman said the measure was designed to protect people living near pubs and clubs from having their peace and their sleep disturbed in the middle of the night, and was partly a way of balancing the effect of last year’s changes to the licensing laws which allowed pubs to say open for longer hours.

If a resident makes a complaint about a nearby pub, local authority officials will measure the level of noise in that person’s house to get an exact reading of the disturbance being caused.

“There’s little licensees can do to stop the measure being introduced but they can still have a say as what to what the permitted level of noise should be. The government has started a consultation process and people can express their views by visiting the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs website. (http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/noiseact-guidance )

The threat to Ladies’ Nights, in which women get can into clubs for free or get cheaper drinks while men have to pay full price, comes from a European equal rights directive which aims to ensure that everyone is treated the same way when buying goods and services.

The directive is due to come into force in December and could mean an end to ladies night promotions on the basis that they clearly discriminate against men.

Vicky Newman is a Solicitor at Andersons Solicitors in Nottingham. She can be contacted on vnewman@andersonsolicitors.co.uk or tel: 0115 947 0641.