Live music can continue at the Merry Harriers as long as measures are taken to restrict noise nuisance to a neighbour.

A meeting of Waverley Borough Council’s licencing sub committee decided not to remove Julie Stoneley from the pub’s premises licence, but has insisted on improved sound insulation and the use of a noise limiter when bands are performing inside.  The pub’s licence was reviewed after it was found to be in breach of an abatement order issued in April after a neighbour had complained of excessive noise audible inside his home.

The village pub has been hosting performances by live bands since Colin and Julie Stoneley took over and they have proved to be very popular.

  Environmental Health officers from Waverley Borough Council investigated the complaint and determined that the neighbour was suffering a “statutory nuisance”. Following further complaints the council used monitoring equipment which showed that noise levels inside the complainants home remained “excessive” and the order had been breached.   A licence review was held on Monday (Sept 27th).  A report to the Licencing Sub Committee stated: “Unfortunately there has been an unwillingness from the Designated Premises Supervisor to accept that there is a noise problem and to deal with it.” Officers requested that Julie Stoneley be removed from the licence “due to problems arising out of poor management.”

Dozens of villagers wrote to the council in support of the pub and the committee decided not to remove Julie Stoneley from the licence. However, it did impose new restrictions. In a statement Robin Pellow, Waverley’s head of Democratic Services and Licencing, said: “The council has decided to modify the conditions of the licence for the Merry Harriers so that no music (live or recorded) is permitted outside the premises at any time and all doors and windows must be kept shut (apart from entering or exiting the building) when music is played inside. In addition, noise insulation must be installed in certain areas to prevent noise coming from the building and a noise limiter be used when entertainment takes place in doors.”