A LLANIDLOES bar has kept its licence, but will be limited to 10 special late-night events a year as part of new conditions aimed at ending a dispute with neighbours.

The future of the Old Mill, which is located in High Street, had been in the balance after a neighbouring resident had asked Powys County Council to review the café bar’s licence, complaining of noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour from customers.

A council licensing sub-committee has now ruled that the bar can retain the licence, but has added conditions to the licence including a limit on additional late-night events, agreed noise levels and limits, a ban on drinking in the smoking area and that an emergency exit must not be used other than in emergencies.

The additional conditions were introduced after an application by Peter Challands, a neighbouring resident, for a review of the Old Mill’s licence – with Mr Challands asking for the licence to be revoked.

That was opposed by the premises holder Peter McCready who insisted that he had tried to make improvements to ensure neighbours were not caused problems when events were held at the bar and had also tried to discuss issues with Mr Challands to reach a compromise.

In his application for the review of the licence, Mr Challands claimed that public nuisance issues were being caused by the noise of customers and noise from music at the premises, as well as public order issues.

In his submission to the committee, Mr Challands claimed other neighbours were unhappy with issues at the Old Mill and claimed that on some nights residents had to stay out of certain rooms in their homes because of the level of noise.

However, Mr McCready said he had made efforts to limit any noise problems by limiting DJs and performers to certain noise levels and refusing to have performances if those limits weren’t respected.

Mr McCready said bar staff had also tried to limit any noise coming from customers using the smoking area and would continue to do so, but said an offer to Mr Challands to bring up any concerns had been ignored.

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