Singer Tim Burgess backs Night and Day Cafe in noise complaints row

Charlatans singer Tim Burgess has lent his support to Manchester venue Night and Day Cafe after it was issued a Noise Abatement Notice following complaints from residents in the Northern Quarter.

The indie star spoke out after the Oldham Street live music venue shared on social media it fears for its future, after being given the warning from the city council.

A change.org petition in support of the popular cafe blames the complaints on someone moving to the area during lockdown when the bar was shut now objecting to noise after its reopening. The petition, signed by 50,000 people, asks the council to remove the notice and states: “Over the past 15 years, flats have been built or existing buildings converted to flats around us with no real thought or consideration to the pre-existing business, building and what it does.

“We also ask not to be labelled us as a ‘nuisance’. We believe we are a real cultural asset to the city of Manchester, the North West and indirectly to the UK as a whole.”

Manchester City Council said, in response, that the notice does not mean the venue is being threatened with closure and they are legally obliged to investigate noise complaints.

However, Tim Burgess has joined a number of musicians tweeting their support for the popular venue, which marks its 30th anniversary this week. He posted: “This is the crazy situation venues are facing - from people who moved nearby decades after @nightanddaycafe started its life as a place to enjoy and play live music. It’s a cultural and social hub @ManCityCouncil - it needs to be able to operate.”

The singer also told NME that some record shops were facing similar issues despite being a big part of local economies.

What has the council said in response?

The council said that complaints date back over a ‘prolonged’ period of time.

A spokesperson said: “To be clear, the council has not threatened Night and Day with closure. A Noise Abatement Notice (NAN) has been issued following complaints of excessive noise. A NAN cannot be used to close a venue, it is used to prevent continued noise nuisance.

“Following a number of repeated complaints from residents living nearby the council investigated allegations of excessive noise coming from Night and Day. During these visits the council’s officers found that noise levels were causing a nuisance.

“The council has a duty to investigate complaints of noise nuisance and where a statutory nuisance is found to have occurred, the council is under a duty to serve an Abatement Notice on the person responsible. The council has on multiple occasions tried to engage with this venue to try and reach a solution which works both for them, and residents. In spite of this further issues were reported, which meant the council was left with no option other than to issue a NAN.

“The venue is entitled to appeal this notice, and we would encourage them to work with the council to avoid any future enforcement action.”

ManchesterWorld has tried to contact the venue for further comment.

On Friday, city councillor Pat Karney tweeted: “Local councillors led by Sam Wheeler have spoken to both sides. We will be calling all parties to the Town Hall to try resolve this issue.”