Bosses hit with £640 bill over noise at Walsall club

Loud music continued to be played at Victoria Social Club in Bloxwich – despite managers being warned by Walsall Council.

Club director Pat Gorman, aged 73, admitted two counts of breaching a noise abatement notice. His fellow director and daughter Tricia Richards also admitted three counts when they appeared before Walsall Magistrates Court.

Action has now been taken to reduce the nuisance to neighbours of the club in Victoria Avenue – as at its peak some residents say they could not hear their TVs over the music.

The court heard nearby residents had complained to environmental health staff at Walsall Council about the noise coming from the club since March 2013.

Noise abatement notices were served twice in September 2014, but sound from the club continued with loud rock music from a live band. The bass sound on these occasions was so loud that the disturbance was greater than conversation levels. Then again in November, the noise was described as 'an intrusive and loud rumbling'.

Since then the council said the social club has carried work to soundproof windows and the stage. They have also sound proofed the curtain and reduced events.

Both Gorman and Richards were each fined £100 and also ordered to pay £200 costs each, with a victim surcharge of £20.

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "Recently the noise has subsided, it has been horrendous in the past. You couldn't hear your own TV it was that loud, you could probably hear it all over Bloxwich. There was no chance of getting any sleep."

"I would say it is now down to an acceptable level. It has been okay for a few months."

Another added: "You couldn't hear yourself think. It is not what you want to have where you live."

David Elrington, environmental health manager, said: "Environmental health staff have tried to help the management of the club understand their responsibilities.

"It is important that people are comfortable in their own homes and are not overwhelmed by repeated and unacceptable noise levels from their neighbours."

No-one from the club was available for comment. The council is required to serve an abatement notice if they are satisfied that a nuisance exists which is prejudicial to health or reasonably interferes with the use and enjoyment of a person's property. For commercial premises the maximum fine for breaching an abatement notice is £20,000 and for domestic premises the maximum fine is £5,000.