The owners of the Fleece Hotel in Richmond say neighbours of the building will not be disturbed by noise as happened previously when the building was used as a late night bar.
A 96-year-old man has urged Richmondshire District Council to reject a plan to offer live music 16 hours a day and serve alcohol 24 hours a day at a historic town centre inn.
The elderly Richmond resident, who has not been named, has written to the council’s licensing committee saying he fears escalating disturbances from The Fleece Hotel, in the town.
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Councillors are set to decide whether Best Friend Ltd, which has restored the imposing grade II listed Gothic building in Victoria Road, should also be permitted to play background music 24 hours a day and provide “late-night refreshments” from 11pm to 5am every day.
The firm has recently created a ten-bedroom luxury hotel, restaurant, café-bar and lounge at the Victorian premises, which was a nightclub until 2015. The venture is creating around 20 jobs.
The elderly resident said the College Square area of the town was already busy with drinkers around closing time and if the application was granted, cars collecting people from the hotel could increase disturbances.
He said: “I have not forgotten the disruption in the area at closing time previously.
“Now we are going to have a situation where it is illegal to sound a motor horn outside the hotel in the early hours, but in order to sound as many horns as one likes inside.
“At 96 years of age I appreciate a good night’s sleep and trust you will ensure that I get it.”
A spokesman for the hotel, which claims to be “a place where a restful night’s sleep in a deeply comfortable bed is guaranteed”, said the live music would be in the background for diners, such as solo performances by harpists or pianists.
He said: “The operation of the premises will be as a high quality hotel, restaurant and cafe-bar, where guests will, in the main, purchase alcoholic drinks when also purchasing food.”
He added external doors and windows would be kept shut after 11pm, except for entry and exit and in cases of emergency, and there would be conspicuous signs asking patrons to minimise noise when smoking or leaving.
The spokesman added: “Noise and vibrations will not be permitted to emanate from the premises so as to cause a nuisance to neighbours.”
A decision on the application is set to be made next Monday (April 23).
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Why would you want background music 24 hours a day and serve drinks til 5 am??? What do they expect? Of course there will be noise!!