The row over noise from Northern Quarter institution Night & Day Cafe has been branded an ‘embarrassment’ for the city by Andy Burnham’s music and live venue committee. The Greater Manchester Music Commission, of which the mayor is the political lead, has slated the city council’s decision not to lift the Noise Abatement Notice it issued the venue with last year.
“This case beggars belief,” said Jay Taylor of the Music Venues Trust, and co-chair of the Greater Manchester Music Commission. “That Manchester City Council would let this wildly unpopular decision reach this late stage is both mystifyingly short-sighted, shows a poor grasp of the mood of the city, and fails to acknowledge their own failings at a planning stage and any acceptance of accountability."
He said the situation 'has the potential to cast our great music city in a very bad light and is acutely embarrassing.'
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The venue was issued with the order after complaints from residents in nearby flats of noise going on late into the night. The venue has a 4am licence and features DJs after their usual programme of bands.
It is now appealing the notice in court, with a three-day hearing set for the end of this month. Though it’s not possible to close a venue with a Noise Abatement Notice, it could be subject to seizure of sound equipment, fines and even prosecution.
The venue has claimed that when the unit next door was converted into flats in the early 2000s, a further, more in-depth survey into sound insulation that was recommended in planning documents never took place. Manchester City Council has denied the claims saying it 'completely rejects any suggestion that planning conditions were not met'.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: "Manchester's cultural and music scene is a jewel in the city's crown, and we have worked hard to champion the sector and provide vital support, particularly through the pandemic.
"However, we have an obligation to comply with our duties when it comes to statutory noise complaints - so our job is to try and balance how venues live side-by-side with residents. It's important to note that the complaints relate to very loud music played into the early hours - not live band performances - and the Council is NOT looking to close down the venue. We want to work them to the address the issues, for example suitable acoustic measures."
The hearing will take place from November 27. It's not the first time that the venue has fallen foul of the council's licencing department, having been threatened with closure in 2014 over noise nuisance.
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