Weymouth's Duke of Cornwall pub to appeal live music restrictions
It's emerged only one noise complaint has been lodged with Dorset Council since the new landlord took over in 2020
Last updated 1st Feb 2022
The Duke of Cornwall pub in Weymouth is hitting out at what it says are devastating live music restrictions that are crippling business, after less than a handful of noise complaints.
The landlord is appealing the decision which led Dorset Council to slap the pub with rules that ban music after 11pm on most days.
Now, Greatest Hits Radio Dorset can reveal there has only been one noise complaint on St Edmund Street since the landlord, Martin Rollings, took over.
Martin Rollings said:
"At the moment we've stopped paying ourselves a wage. We're surviving, but we're not raking the cash in, let's put it like that.
"The Council's decision has impacted our income substantially. We are known as a live music venue. We don't sell food, we're a night-time music venue and that is where the meat of our income comes from. To restrict that they've severely restricted our ability to stay open and to make a living."
The decision came following a Licensing Review Application put in by Respect Weymouth - an anonymous group. They claim noise from the venue has been steadily increasing over the past few years. They conducted a survey of 12 properties close to the pub. 14 of the people who live there said they suffer regular noise impacts once a week. 12 people said they'd been woken up by sudden bursts of music.
But, information obtained by Greatest Hits Radio Dorset in a Freedom of Information request reveals an overall decline in the number of noise complaints made in the area.
The data only shows the street address of the venue complained of. That means any complaints lodged may not be referring to the Duke of Cornwall pub.
Martin took over as Landlord in late 2020, meaning a maximum of one complaint has been lodged since he's been there, compared with five others in the years preceding.
Punished
The pub's licence allows it to stay open until 2pm but following the review they're only allowed to play music until 11pm Monday to Thursday.
But Martin says one change in particular makes him feel targeted, humiliated and as if he's being punished. Each night the pub plays music past 9pm, audio recording equipment must be used to monitor sound levels outside the pub.
Martin added:
"To me that is nothing short of a punishment. It's the equivalent of writing lines, as far as I can tell. I was of the understanding that the review would be to lessen noise levels, not to punish us. It does seem like a punishment to me.
"It's completely disproportionate to the level of noise. There's only been one noise complaint by one person, so to come down on us and modify our license is ludicrous.
"If it was a popular opinion and lots of people were complaining about us, I would see the logic behind it and I would feel it was justified.
"We've been very unfairly treated, the review wasn't justified in the first place, it's been brought on false grounds, it's disgusting, they've crippled our business and I'm going to do everything I can to reverse that."
Dorset Council says as an appeal has been lodged, it is not able to comment on the matter.
The Appeal will be heard at Weymouth Magistrates Court in April.