Noise fears over ‘new’ Barbican Centre in Paragon Street, York

SMG, which wants to reopen the long-closed centre in May after a £2 million refurbishment and has already booked several acts, has applied to City of York Council for a premises licence.

But Roy Haddon, who lives off Heslington Road near the centre, has written to the authority to say he already suffers between 2am and 4am from a certain amount of noise, such as people talking loudly to each other or on mobile phones as they walk away from the city centre. “Is there not a significant risk that this kind of nuisance will be increased by people dispersing from a late-night facility that is considerably closer than the city centre?” he asked.

He said he was also concerned that a significant number of Barbican visitors would try to park in already congested local streets where they will not have to pay.

Mr Haddon said he would like to see tighter restrictions imposed on the terms of the licence by the licensing committee to provide a “balance of convenience” between the applicants and local residents.

A report to the committee said an objection had been received from the authority’s own environmental protection unit on the grounds of public nuisance, but this had been withdrawn after the applicant agreed to a series of conditions, including:

• All windows and doors to be kept closed during regulated entertainment except for access.

• Documented hourly patrols to be organised by staff outside the premises to check for noise from inside and customers outside.

• A direct contact number to be made available for residents living in the vicinity.

More than 200 residents objected to an application in 2005 for a licence from Absolute Leisure, who were originally set to take over the running of the centre, citing concerns about late-night noise and disturbance.

The licensing committee granted the licence but an appeal was lodged with magistrates by residents, who rejected it.