Live music to be stopped at Torbay waterfront bar

Torbay Council has has pulled the plug on live music at a Paignton bar temporarily.

The committee ordered Molly's on Paignton harbourside bar owner Lee Tyrrell to stop the music.

A five-hour meeting of the licensing sub-committee heard how people living nearby had to change their daily routines or leave their homes altogether because the music coming from the bar was so loud.

Tyrrell said live music never went on more than five minutes past 21:00 GMT, and his customers agreed. Committee chair Councillor Mark Spacagna, said the door was still open for Tyrrell to apply for a variation of his licence alongside a noise management plan.

Spacagna said that, without a noise management plan in place, the board had to make the decision it did, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Solicitor Jon Dunkley, on behalf of Molly's, said the cafe and bar drew tourists and locals to the harbour, while contributing to the economy and cultural life of Paignton.

He said: "Paignton is a tourist area and this is a working harbour.

"This is not a village on Exmoor. It's a thriving cultural part of Paignton where you would expect music venues to operate."

A report said live music was staged up to three or four nights a week, starting at 18:00 or 18:30 and lasting for three to four hours.

There had been a total of four noise complaints from people living nearby.

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