A FAMILY say they are ‘indebted’ to the council for placing tighter restrictions on a venue which has given them sleepless nights for nearly a decade.

Adele and David Wright live next to Knutsford’s masonic hall along with their two children aged eight and six.

The couple moved in 13 years ago, and say their lives have been plagued by noise and anti-social behaviour from the hall since 2010 – when it was operating as Leicester Warren Hall.

But now Cheshire East Council has completed a licence review on the hall – known as Larkspur Lodge since being taken over by the team behind The Belle Epoque last year – and the number of conditions on the licence has been ramped up from four to 38.

In a statement, the couple said: “Noise nuisance has been a constant problem from the lodge.

“Our six-year-old daughter has never been able to sleep in her own bedroom due to music disturbance until past midnight and drunken guests leaving up until 2am.

“We can hear music throughout our entire home and have constantly been able to name every song played by either a DJ or band during an event. This has resulted in sleep deprivation for ourselves and our two young children.”

Knutsford Guardian:

The couple gave evidence at the first hearing of CEC’s licence review last October, when they told a committee of three councillors they had been forced to clean up urine and vomit outside their home following some parties at the venue.

CEC has now set 38 conditions on the venue’s licence – including one to specifically clean up any vomit or urine outside the Wrights’ home.

The couple added: “We are now indebted to CEC and the sub-committee for acknowledging our long-standing problems regarding noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour.

READ > Knutsford masonic hall licence reviewed amid anti-social behaviour

“The sub-committee determined that our review of the licence was appropriate and accepted there was a nuisance.

“It has imposed 38 new conditions. Many of these conditions relate directly to controlling noise nuisance and preventing anti-social behaviour.

“We now hope we can enjoy our family home.”

Although the licence review was launched prior to the venue being taken over last year, the Wrights claim noise issues have remained since it was rebranded as Larkspur Lodge.

But director Matthew Mooney insists he has received ‘extremely positive feedback’ from neighbours since taking the venue over.

Knutsford Guardian:

And he is ‘100 per cent sure’ the measures put in place following the review – as set in the new conditions agreed between CEC and Larkspur Lodge – will cut noise problems.

“We put forward a list of proposals that were sensible and what any responsible operator would do,” Mr Mooney said.

“We presented this to the review committee and they were clearly happy with what we had proposed because that is what they have agreed to.

“We are happy with the way things have concluded. The committee has made it clear that it has trust and faith in ourselves as the new operators and it has not imposed any restrictions that would infringe on the running of a successful venue. It is good news for us and we are happy to move forward.

“We would not promise anything we could not deliver and we have had extremely positive feedback from neighbours since taking over the venue.”

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A Cheshire East Council spokesman added: “The licensing review hearing relating to these premises has taken place and the application determined. The applicant has been informed of a number of additional conditions the council wishes to apply.

“There is an opportunity for the applicant or premises licence holder to appeal those conditions and, therefore, it would not be appropriate for the council to comment further at this stage.”