Pub pulls plug on live music after noise complaints

The Rock Tavern, in Stourport, has been serving punters for 200 years but claims new homeowners' have forced them to stop hosting live music events - causing uproar online.

Situated on Wilden Lane, it announced on Facebook that it has been 'under investigation' for five years to a point which has made the owners 'ill'.

It claims that the investigation is now intended - by Worcester Regulatory Services - to continue at least through the rest of this and next year, and the 'stress it has caused' is no longer worth it because of the 'impact' it has had on its owners health.

The strongly worded announcement didn't mince its message to the anonymous complainants who raised the noise issue, claiming they had won their 'little battle', before reminding them that they bought a home knowing how close the venue was to them.

In one final message of defiance, it told other venues: 'If there is a snowflake in town' then there’s a 'council official working from home in their pj’s watching daytime TV, standing by' to shut them down.

The announcement was met by over a thousand reactions on Facebook, with one user saying the news is 'just terrible.'

The statement, in full, said: "Dear all, sadly, we have decided that we will no longer hold any music events in our stunning riverside beer garden.

"We have been under investigation for five years now by Worcester Regulatory Services and they intend to keep the investigation ongoing throughout 2024 and 2025. After that who knows. The stress it has caused us it is simply not worth the impact it is having on our health.

"Throughout the investigation we have maintained that we have been treated harshly and unprofessionally. We have made Freedom of Information requests relating to the investigation in an attempt to prove this. WRS refused our requests which we continue to challenge.

"Anyone living or visiting Stourport, Kidderminster and surrounding areas will know that we are a music loving community with great bands and artists.

"Well done to our complainant/s who think music for two hours on a sunny day a small number of times a year is noise nuisance. You have won your little battle I hope you are happy, its good job you had your ‘contact at the council’, who this was and what impact they had - or did not have - on the investigation remains unknown. What is known however, is the pressure the investigation has put our family under.

"Please remember you purchased a house near a 200-year-old pub's beer garden.

"As for WRS, stop hiding behind section 30 and 31 of the Freedom of Information act and hand over the documents I requested on numerous occasions over the past two years.

"Good Luck to all other music venues in the UK, take note of quote from one of the investigators 'Sometimes venues have been around for many years playing music but then if someone moves into a property nearby and contacts us to complain then we would investigate’.

"Standby Glastonbury and watch out Leeds and Reading festival.

"If there is a snowflake in town, there’s a council official working from home in their PJs watching daytime TV and standing by to shut you down."

Around 150 people responded to the post with comments, while hundreds more reacted and shared the post.

Elisa Taylor, said: "This is terrible so sorry for you, such a great pub and outside area..."

Belinda Robins, said: "So sorry to hear you have had to make such a devastating decision. You are such a hard working amazing family and you do not deserve to be treated this way..."

Chris Pice, said: "Gutted for you all. The beer garden is one of the nicest spots in the area and we’ve had some great afternoons and evenings listening to music in the sun down by the river..."

Joshua B Bennett, said: "A huge shame. One of the finest things I’ve encountered when moving into the area."

Speaking to the Express & Star earlier today, Maggie Flight, licensee at the Rock Tavern, said: "We're devastated, like most independent pubs we are struggling and this has made things so much harder.

"We're losing communities all across the country, a pub is one of the few places left where communities grow together and develop relationships, and now we can't even have a live music night in a very music-orientated town.

"I'm Irish, and I love being a citizen of England, the English have been so good to me and we make every effort to return the favour.

"We can't keep pandering to the few who complain about things that the masses want to keep. Hundreds of people have commented on that post about how awful it is, and I think it proves how important it is to have nights like these.

"We've been dealing with this for five years, it's made me ill, and all we want to do is give our wonderful locals another reason to get amongst each other, eat some good food, have a beer or a coffee and have some family time.

"If we start losing the nights that bring people together in our wonderful town and cities, then where are we going as a nation?"

Councillor Tracey Onslow, Wyre Forest District Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for regulatory services said: "WRS has been working with the Rock Tavern to find a sustainable solution following noise complaints from local residents.

"The most recent suggestion was a strategy that has been successful in similar situations within the county which would let live music continue at the venue.

"WRS has responded to Freedom of Information requests, but some information was withheld. This is because it is either part of an ongoing investigation or could be part of future proceedings.”