4:30pm Tuesday 13th July 2010
By Neil Vowles
More than a dozen people have lost their jobs after a music venue fell out with council officials over noise.
A total of 14 jobs have gone at the Freebutt in Brighton after its owners said they can no longer host live performances because of a row with Brighton and Hove City Council.
The venue in Phoenix Place has been placed under tougher sound restrictions because of complaints from residents.
Almost all forthcoming acts have had their shows rescheduled for different venues.
The management says that following a meeting with environmental health officers from the council it was established that there was a continuing problem with noise in an adjoining home.
To resolve the problem the council has said the venue must reduce its maximum sound levels by 10% to 94 decibels - a noise equivalent to that of a tractor.
Geoffrey Theobald, the council's cabinet member for environment, said it was up to the owners of the premises to reduce the level of noise.
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