Pub plays music too loud

I live very near to a pub (effectively right above it, as my road is on a hill running parallel to the road below), which has always played really loud music. They have a function suite, in which almost every night a live band plays. The music generally starts at around 8:30, and goes on until around 2am on average. After that, the patrons spill out and generate even more noise.

I'm a pretty tolerant person, and I put up with it, until it starts to get past around 12ish. I'm curently doing my GCSEs and I really feel the effect the lack of sleep has on me. I regularly report it to the environmental health service, who drive down and claim to write a "report" on it each time. It's been going on for over ten years though, so evidentally these reports can't be doing very much.

I've issued a complaint via my local council's website, but I never received a reply, much less any positive action. I've also talked to other residents on my road, but only one other person is disturbed by it, due to the location of the pub.

I'm really not sure what else I can do. The pub has changed management multiple times over the duration of the tirade, yet this doesn't do anything either. At one point the environmental health told us that they had given the pub an official warning which they had to review carefully, but this never did anything.

Has anyone got any ideas for anything else I can do? Short of going to the council myself, but they'd no doubt take one look at this five foot odd female teenager and laugh me out of the building.

They can't make noise past (I think) 11pm, so the first step is to go to the pub and speak to the manager.

I believe you can sue if places are making too much noise in residential areas. You might want to speak to some law students and ask them the exact laws about it, then go speak to the manager and advise them that if the noise doesn't stop within a week you will sue/complain to the council.

I totally sympathise because I have real noise problems as well (a building site). The first solution is to sort out your health, unfortunately you can't stay up late so I think you need to buy some earplugs. I got some good ones from Boots. Go for the foam ones, they work better and feel nicer than the wax ones.

I also suggest getting your parents' support and then get your immediate neighbours in on the act.

There ARE laws against disturbances in the night (why do you think police get called to loud house parties?) so speak to someone who knows about it (not me I'm afraid) and stand up for yourself!

Soundproof your room

Well, they are breaking the law, so what I suggest is pop into your police station and just have a word with the first person you speak to and ask for some advice. They'll either direct you to someone else or be able to help you, and the worst they can say is "we can't do anything now, phone us when the noise is taking place". Get their phone number and call that station specifically when you need to complain rather than using 999.

It's better to go to the pub in person. Personally I would do it myself and not have a problem. I would say something like "Well, actually I'm here to complain about the noise levels past 11pm. Legally your establishment is not allowed to make noise after 11pm; since this is a pub I understand there is a 20 minute drinking-up period, but I do not expect there to be loud noise until 2am especially on a weeknight. If it happens again, I will call the police and make a complaint against you with the council, and continue to do so until the noise stops or this place is shut down". Harsh but totally fair.

I don't see why the council wouldn't take note of you. You could write a letter to the pub, and copy the letter to the council and the local police station, or even better, lodge a complaint with the council and forward a copy of the letter to the pub.

Whatever you do, do it soon before your exams start looming (good luck with those btw!), and make as much fuss as possible. The worst that can happen is nothing changes, so go for it!

Firebird, check on your facts before offering generalised advice...

Are they? Do you know this for a fact? Do you know what their Operating Schedule is under the new Licensing Laws?

Wrong, it's better to phone the Local Council (who are now responsible for Licensing) first than to go to the Police.

Again, without knowing the Operating schedule, you'd look like a total idiot if you steamed in and spouted this rubbish. There is no longer any such thing as '20 minutes drinking up time'. They may well be licensed 'til 2am, and if this is the case, local residents would have had plaenty of opurtunity to object in the Licence Variation period. Also, if you phoned the Police to complain about the noise (assuming it's not allowed), they'd tell you to contact the Environmental Health Officer, not the Police as it's the EHO who is responsible for Noise Pollution issues.

Original Poster, I'm not saying you don't have a valid argument, you possibly do, just do a bit of checking-up first instead of listening to the first uninformed poster on here.

PM me if you want anymore help, I'm a Pub Licensee so I actually know what I'm talking about.

No, I don't know any of that for a fact; as I said in my first post, she should speak to a lawyer!

All I know is that you can't make lots of disturbance between 11pm and 7am in residential areas (like using your car horn). I also have a starred first in complaining

Since I've got hold of someone who knows what they're talking about... do you know anything about building sites? I've got one right outside my window from 8am til 6pm and it's disturbing me SOOOOO much. Do I have any chance if I complain, and who would I complain to, since the building site is on the same site that I'm renting property on?