Brighton music venue could shut over noise (From The Argus)

Brighton music venue could shut over noise

2:06pm Friday 18th June 2010 in News By Neil Vowles

The owners of a top music venue say it could be forced to close because of a lack of support from council officials.

Management at the Freebutt in Phoenix Place, Brighton, say the venue will close and 15 jobs will be lost if Brighton and Hove City Council forces them to turn down their speakers.

Now they they have launched a petition to save the venue.

But the council argues that the venue has had four months to resolve its noise issues and cannot be allowed to continue disturbing its neighbours.

The Freebutt was taken over by a quartet of young music enthusiasts from the city in June last year.

Andy Rossiter, 27, Tom Denney, 27, John Fischer, 25, and Alex Murray, 27, installed a volume limiter that would cut off power if noise reached above 105 decibels - louder than a pneumatic drill - which was agreed with the council.

However the venue was then served with a noise abatement order following complaints from a neighbour in February.

Freebutt's owners fear they will be asked to turn down the volume further, effectively putting themselves out of business as a venue that can host live bands.

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said it did not want the venue to shut but that residents' right to peace was "sacrosanct".