Reading bar finds out whether student party can go ahead

Xhemail Zeqiri, the owner of the Jolly Anglers on the Kennetside, applied to hold a special event for students happening this Friday (June 24).

The party will feature live DJs and have a capacity of 170 revellers at the bar, which has an impressive garden complete with a pool and hot tub.

There was a potential that the party could have been stopped as the event received an objection from the council’s environmental health team, over noise complaints from a individual who lives nearby.

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Bill Donne, licensing Mr Zeqiri’s licensing consultant,  suggested the complaints came from a ‘disgruntled former employee’ and that the reports were vexatious.

However, councillor Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey) argued that the ex-employee still has a right to file a complaint as a citizen, and can do so on behalf of other neighbours.

The exchanges took place at a meeting of Reading Borough Council’s licensing applications sub committee  today (Monday, June 20).

The council’s environmental health team suggested preventing music to be played from speakers outdoors to address the noise issues.

Council officer Ross Jarvis said: “Very occasional events at this property may be tolerated, but it’s only been a month since the previous one.

“This is causing a nuisance to residents.”

The most recent complaint was made on Saturday, May 14.

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The council’s environmental health team is investigating noise complaints at the Jolly Anglers and the complainant has been given a ‘diary sheet’ to report incidents.

Mr Donne countered by claiming the ‘disgruntled former employee’ had used the Noise app on their phone to record decibels from the nearby bridge over the River Kennet rather than their own home.

He also suggested that loud music could be heard from a residential property in the neighhbourhood as the source of disturbance, rather than noise coming from the pub.

Summing up, Mr Jarvis said: “The event is inappropriate for a pub garden in a residential area.”

Mr Zeqiri promised to stop the DJ music at 9pm, with background music from inside going on until 11pm.

He also promised to have stuff conduct sound monitoring occur at four neighbouring locations every hour to keep a track of the noise.

Xhemail Zeqiri, the owner of the Jolly Anglers. Credit: Jolly Anglers / Handout

Although the DJ music will be switched off earlier than applied for, the garden will still be open until 11pm, with drinks inside served until 11.59pm.

The committee, made up of cllr Rowland and cllr Paul Woodward (Labour, Church) agreed to the event.

Mr Zeqiri had to apply to use the garden for the party until 11pm because of a condition dating back to 2011, which states that the garden must be closed in its entirety at 9.30pm.

It is understood Mr Zeqiri is considering an application to change the licence to allow the garden to stay open longer.