The neighbours who launched a string of complaints towards one of Manchester’s most iconic music venues have discovered that the club has received ten noise complaints since 2006.
A Freedom of Information request sent by the dismayed neighbours revealed that Night and Day Café have had numerous complaints regarding noise nuisance.
This information comes to light after Night and Day appealed against a statutory nuisance abatement notice by Manchester City Council.
The neighbours, who wish to be kept anonymous, told MM: “We put in for a Freedom of Information request to Night and Day because they published that up until January 2014 they had never had any issues before.
“They made us out to be liars and for our own peace of mind we wanted to prove that people had complained before.
“We just wanted clarification that we weren’t the only complainants, and rest assured Night and Day have received a complaint practically every year.”
Gareth Butterworth, the venue’s in-house promoter and booker, stands by his comments, though he said they were taken slightly of out of context.
He told MM: “When we said we’ve never had a complaint since before January 2014, we meant from that particular building – which we haven’t.”
Since the court hearing on March 6 the neighbour’s claimed that matters significantly improved for a while.
However, in recent weeks they claim the news has become intolerable and worse than ever.
“On Friday 2.30am the council came round to witness the noise nuisance which was very loud and that continued until 3.30am. It was the loudest is has ever been and was completely ridiculous,” they added.
“Me and my partner also paid for an acoustic engineer to come out and take reading of the noise nuisance. The reading started at 20db’s and as soon as the music came on they rose to 45db’s.”
Gareth refutes these claims however, though he said the venue has been investing in sound-proofing the venue to help improve noise levels.
He told MM: “Nothing’s changed as far as the music is concerned. Obviously different acts have different instruments which have different noise levels, but essentially our sound output has maintained the same since this all started.
“Nothing’s changed in the 23 years we’ve run the business.”
If the music venue’s appeal fails, which is set to take place in July, Night and Day’s bosses could face up to £20,000 for every breach of a noise nuisance notice and could face up to six months imprisonment.
The neighbours told MM that Night and Day have recently contacted them about resolving the issue before the court verdict.
“We have no sympathy for Night and Day whatsoever. I will not let this go and they have brought it upon themselves,” they said.
“The council are looking at reviewing Night and Day’s license and possibly even prosecuting them for breaching the noise nuisance notice.”
They said they have had enough and are now waiting for the July hearing where the council could ask them to take the stand.
“It is really frustrating having to wait for June as this process is really affecting our lives and we shouldn’t have to live like this.
“It is very stressful living here and for the first time last week my partner had to move out of the bedroom because it was so loud.”
Picture courtesy of Man Alive! via Flickr, with thanks.
