Rooftop parties at a prominent Brixton club can now only take place within limited hours with lower noise levels after residents protested at loud club nights ruining their sleep.
The Lambeth licensing sub-committee decided this week that The Lambeth, formerly Brixton Clubhouse and Dex, must curtail the hours of their outdoor club nights and install sound proofing devices after residents complained about the noise levels caused by rooftop parties.
The club will be formerly notified of its new license this week. The recommendation at the meeting was for no licensable activities to take place after 10pm Sunday to Thursday and midnight Friday to Saturday on the roof terraces; and all outside areas to be cleared of patrons and emptied 15 minutes after licensable activities. The committee also recommended that no licensable activity under live or recorded music may take place until such time as suitable sound limiting devices have been installed, pre-approved by the noise team, with the noise limit to be determined by the noise team.
Talya Tibbon, who was at the license review with other residents from Coldharbour Lane and Brixton Hill, said: “This battle has been going on for over a year now and all throughout the club owners have refused to accept that their loud weekend terrace parties are making our lives hell.
“We were really encouraged by the council’s interim decision to restrict their noise levels and hours of activity. The committee members were fair and receptive to what has become a real quality of life issue.
“We all know Brixton is a happening place and nothing drives home the point more than living on Coldharbour Lane, but it doesn’t mean that we have to tolerate such disregard to the fact that this is (and has always been) a residential area where people want to be able to put kids to bed at a decent hour and be able to get a good night sleep without earplugs.”
A spokesperson for The Lambeth said: “All we can say at this point is that we are working together with the council and local residents to achieve a sensible agreement over acoustics that ensures our neighbours are not disturbed by our venue’s activities in their day to day life and that we can achieve what we are hoping for , a responsibly managed, vibrant community pub and live arts and entertainment venue.”
The Brixton Splash after party with DJ Derek will still go ahead as planned on Sunday evening.
Cllr Jack Hopkins, Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Neighbourhoods, said: “In this case Lambeth’s Licensing Committee considered repeated noise complaints about the venue and the failure of its management to act, despite being given several chances to address the situation.
“In response the committee said has said further rooftop parties must only be held within set hours, and that limiters must be put on noise levels. We are not stopping rooftop parties at The Lambeth.
“We do everything we can to make sure people can enjoy a night out in the borough, that businesses operate responsibly and that they do not have a negative impact on local people. Our work on this issue ties into Lambeth council’s Safer Communities campaign to make the borough a better and safer place to live.”
