Venue does not work without live music, owners say

The owners of a live music venue which has cancelled all performances until further notice due to a noise complaint have spoken of how gigs carry the business through the quiet winter months.

A noise abatement notice has been issued by Reigate and Banstead Borough Council (RBBC) to the owners of the Cage Wine Bar in Reigate after receiving the complaint.

Co-owner Adrian Rothera said the venue worked with artists to reduce the volume after learning of the complaint, and asked acts to finish at 22:30, rather than 23:00 BST, adding: "We thought we had done enough, we don't know what more we need to do."

RBBC said the decision to "prohibit live music" had solely been the venue's decision.

Fellow co-owner Rory Fry-Stone said cancelling upcoming gigs was "upsetting", particularly for the artists who now have "no venue to play at".

This decision also has financial ramifications for the venue, which is greatly supported by six or so outdoor gigs which take place during the summer.

Fry-Stone said: "This venue doesn't work in the winter; it's a 12-month business.

"In the summer, we need those events to carry us through November, January, February, March, when it is very quiet - anyone in hospitality knows the cycle of the year."

Making clear the scale of the issue, he added: "It's very simple; it [the Cage] does not work without those four to six evenings a month."

A petition urging RBBC to work with the venue to identify practical measures to protect live music while ensuring residents are happy has received nearly 10,000 signatures.

The owners are clear that their issue is not with the complainant, but rather with what they consider a lack of guidance.

Fry-Stone said: "We don't want to be a nuisance to any of our neighbours. We want to know what those noise levels need to be... no-one's told us what we should do."

The Cage has had live music for 26 years, and the owners are desperate for a positive resolution which will allow this to continue.

"Live music is the beating heart of Reigate," Rothera said.

A spokesperson for RBBC said: "The abatement notice does not prohibit live music. This has been the decision of the business.

"It requires the premises to ensure that events are appropriately managed and controlled so that they do not cause a statutory noise nuisance to neighbouring residents.

"The responsibility for how to do this rests with those responsible, rather than the council specifying a particular solution."

They added that RBBC "appreciates and supports how important live music is to the evening economy and as part of a vibrant arts and cultural scene", adding that it had been "in contact with the owners of the business via letters, e-mail and a site meeting".

They said council leader, Richard Biggs, will now arrange a conversation with them "to work towards a suitable solution".

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