Birmingham club stays open as noise allegations rejected

By Asavin Wattanajantra • October 10, 2007 - 11:31

The local council received complaints from developer Crosby House that the Nightingale was emitting too much noise and holding “unauthorised adult entertainment.“

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A gay nightclub in Birmingham has escaped closure as allegations of noise pollution by local developers were proved to be false.

A licensing committee decided that the Nightingale could stay open after consulting the council's own surveys which were based on just two complaints in two years and were found to be well within legal limits.

PinkNews.co.uk had reported that the local council received complaints from developer Crosby House that the Nightingale was emitting too much noise and holding "unauthorised adult entertainment."

It was known that the club did regularly hold "porn nights" and host male strippers.

Suspicions were raised as the complaint came only six months after Crosby were turned down from developing a number of flats close to the venue.

It was also revealed that Crosby's own noise surveys, which they submitted to the committee, were carried out in 2006 and February 2007 before the Nightingale's beer garden had its music system removed.

The lawyer for the Nightingale, Adrian Curtis, told the Birmingham Mail:

"The review of a licence suggests there is a problem to begin with. But there has been no problem.

"The Nightingale's licence has had two reviews this year and no residents have complained. This review has had considerable publicity but no residents have come to the hearing.

"The council's own environmental health officer says there is no legal nuisance. The only ones complaining are Crosby Homes."

Labour councillor Steve Bedser had said at the time of the allegations by Crosby: "It is hugely disingenuous for developers to make a quick profit and then moan about noise nuisance."

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