A Middleton pub which claims that it is being investigated after complaints over noise from its children's play area is instead being looked into over ‘frequent loud music’, the council says. The Hopwood Arms said a complaint was made to the council at 3pm over noise coming from its beer garden play area and that it was now being investigated by Rochdale Council.
The pub posted in a comments thread beneath remarks made by night time economy advisor to the mayor’s office, Sacha Lord, who had been highlighting how noise complaints from residents in city centre areas can be damaging to existing hospitality businesses.
The Hopwood then referred to its own apparent experience, saying: “We got a letter from Rochdale Council because a neighbour complained about children being too loud in our play area at 3pm. I phoned them back and we are now under investigation for 4-6 weeks.”
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Lord had said: “If you are a resident that moves into a busy thriving area, then complains about noise… if you are a developer who cuts corners and doesn’t soundproof properly to make an extra few quid… they YOU’RE the problem, not the night time economy.”
However, Rochdale Council told the Manchester Evening News that the complaint about the Hopwood Arms had not been in relation to children playing, and that it would be ‘unlikely’ that a complaint of that nature would be investigated by them. It then said that the complainant it is investigating is in reference to ‘loud music’.
A council spokesperson said: “Our environmental health service have received a complaint of loud music being played frequently and for extended periods at the Hopwood Arms. The team are investigating the allegations and would expect the pub management to maintain any music played at a level which does not cause nuisance to their neighbours."
The council confirmed that the complaint is currently being investigated, but that the pub has not been served with a Noise Abatement Notice. The pub, in Slattocks, describes itself as a ‘good, local family pub’, and has a sprawling beer garden and play area that stretches down to the canal.
Such is the size of the garden area that it has previously been used to stage local music festivals.
When contacted by the Manchester Evening News, landlord Ian Ward said that a letter referring to the complaint from Rochdale Council had mentioned ‘audio’, but that he had received complaints from a neighbour of the pub about children in the play area, and that they 'couldn't relax in their garden' due to the noise.
He confirmed that he has a decibel meter fitted in the pub, adding that no other neighbours had complained, but declined to comment further while the matter was under investigation.
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