Football club loses functions licence over noise

Accrington Stanley Football Club will close its hospitality suite after losing its licence to stage functions where live and amplified music would be played.

It follows complaints from several residents living around its hospitality suite, known as The Venue, which includes Coley's bar and the 1968 Lounge.

The League Two side has now decided to shut The Venue for the foreseeable future, except on matchdays, where an allowance has been made for events until 19:30.

In a statement the board of directors said the "decision has not been taken lightly" but the club was "committed to being good neighbours and community members".

They said they would look "into how we can adapt and find alternative solutions to continue bringing our community together".

In 2020 the Lancashire club was given planning permission to redevelop its south stand at its Crown Ground, also known as the Wham Stadium, on Livingstone Road.

But in 2022 the council discovered it had not been built in accordance with the previous approval.

It then issued a noise abatement order and the club submitted a new, backdated application to "regularise" the situation.

But the council turned it down largely on noise grounds.

Stanley then appealed to the Planning Inspectorate over fears it might have to be knocked down, and in October that was also refused.

The club attended a licensing hearing at the Hyndburn Borough Council offices on 6 March following complaints from several residents of Livingstone Road and Whalley Road.

The residents raised concerns that the area surrounding Accrington Stanley was residential and, as such, they should not be subjected to music in their properties and gardens.

One resident described "revellers making a racket" after a karaoke night and taxis being heard after 01:00, while another spoke of "screaming and shouting" during events at the club.

The club has said it would look at soundproofing The Venue.

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