Complaints over ‘antisocial’ Muswell Hill cocktail bar

A bid to relax the licence of a Muswell Hill night spot has run into objections from neighbours complaining of noise and antisocial behaviour.

Several residents spoke against a premises licence application for The Broadway, a coffee and cocktail lounge in Muswell Hill Broadway, during a meeting of Haringey Council’s licensing subcommittee on Monday.

Owner Savvas Morgan, who took on the licence in 2020 after buying the venue, wants to remove some of the restrictions imposed following a review in 2017, while keeping closing times – 12.30am during the week, 2.30am on Fridays and Saturdays – and other details largely the same.

If his bid is successful, it will remove a condition stating that alcohol should only be sold at a table with a meal after 11pm, and allow the supply of alcohol on and off the premises. The new application also states that the venue would not operate as a nightclub and includes measures to limit noise and prevent antisocial behaviour.

Noshaba Shah, a council licensing officer, told the meeting the premises had been associated with antisocial behaviour during the late evening. She listed a range of complaints raised by residents including noise, cars parked illegally and allegations of drugs consumed in the vicinity by people attending the venue.

The licensing authority proposed a reduction in the hours for Friday and Saturday to ensure the venue closes by midnight, Noshaba added. If it is allowed to open beyond that time, the authority has drawn up a range of conditions for the venue to follow.

Metropolitan Police constable Justyna Golota told the meeting there had been “a number of police reports relating to antisocial behaviour linked directly to the venue” between May and November last year. However, she added that she recently had several meetings with Savvas, and the issues had been addressed.

PC Golota said that although she still had concerns, she believed the issues could be resolved between the venue and the local community.

Several local residents subsequently addressed the committee to raise concerns over the application. Barbara Hall complained of a “loud thumping noise into the early hours of the morning” and noise from people leaving the building. She said the disruption caused to residents’ sleep at weekends was “unacceptable”.

Jocelyn Conway added: “Every weekend we are subject to the noise of people leaving the club, banging doors, engines revving, and the noise of the music is horrific.” She said the venue was supposed to be a restaurant but had been turned into “a nightclub in a residential area”.

Colm Quinn complained of “blaring” music, adding “you can hear the thud of the bass in my flat”. He claimed the licencee had “flagrantly ignored” the existing conditions on the licence, and it was “beyond belief” that he could ask for the conditions to be relaxed. “It has caused nothing but misery, and it is affecting residents’ mental health,” Colm added.

David Dadds, a barrister representing Savva, was permitted to question speakers during the meeting. However, he was unable to speak in favour of the application because the meeting was adjourned after running for more than three hours, during which several more objections were heard. He will be able to make a formal representation during a reconvened meeting of the committee, which is expected to be held before 9th May.