Whalley bar, The Aviary, accused of allowing ‘insufferable, stunningly loud’ music disturbance faces review

Bosses of a Lancashire bar accused of allowing ‘insufferable, stunningly loud’ music disturbance to local residents face a licensing review.

Council officers measured the volume of music around The Aviary, in Whalley, and in nearby homes and found it breached the levels allowed. They say managers are failing to prevent nuisance to the public.

Over the past five years, The Aviary on Queen Street has been the focus of complaints by some residents. Concerns about it and other bars have been discussed at various Ribble Valley Council meetings.

Now, their licensing committee is holding a review of the venue’s licensing conditions. Late-night opening and times allowed for DJs or amplified live music could be cut.

Aviary managers have tried to improve sound proofing at the building, they have met with police and have told the council they are doing ‘everything they can’ to resolve the problem.

Some residents have written to the council recently, accusing The Aviary of ongoing disturbance. One wrote: “I wholly support this licensing review. My life has been completely spoiled by music noise, particularly late at night.

“Sadly, the venue has been unable to regulate its music enough. But noise from customers entering and leaving is equally disturbing – and that cannot be measured. The combined noise is absolutely insufferable. The council has a duty to protect residents from businesses which blatantly flout the rules.”

Another resident claimed daytime events create problems too. “Raucous bottomless brunches are an additional insult and spoil a nice afternoon in the garden. Being confronted on the street on a Saturday afternoon by a large group of drunk women is very unpleasant and intimidating.”

One person said they moved away because of noise: “I struggled to sell my property due to The Aviary and the management’s inability to manage anti-social issues. My child was regularly woken and distressed. We weren’t able to live normal lives. It caused stress and my mental health suffered.”

Another said: “The  Aviary’s original intention was to offer meals with DJ mood music. But it didn’t last – seemingly because not enough patrons wanted that.  So tables were moved away for live music, dancing, DJs, bongos, trapeze dancers, tribute acts and bottomless brunches.  The Aviary management freely admit the model now is a cabaret and nightclub in all but name. It has late night opening to 1.30am at weekends and can take 150 people.”

Environmental health officer Andrew Dent says sound levels were measured over three nights in December 2025 and January 2026, and they breached legally-allowed levels.

He said: “The recent complaints are substantiated and a breach of the licensing objective to prevent public nuisance has occurred. A review will allow the council to impose further conditions.”

Council papers say the first complaint about music was in July 2021, shortly after the venue became operational. Since then, the council has received noise complaints regularly including from the Residents’ Action Group and other people around Queen Street, Accrington Road and Woodland View.

Various meetings have been held with Aviary bosses and emails sent over the years. Managers tried to fix the noise problem with boarding, foam panels, shutters and acoustic curtains but council officers said these did not solve it. The basic cause is ‘loud music with high bass levels played in a building with poor sound insulation’.

Chelsea Chard, the designated premises supervisor and owners Jabber Khan and Naseem Khan have had meetings with the council and the police. And some residents say The Aviary was trying to make improvements.

In one email, Ms Chard said the owners were racially abused by a person while boarding-up windows to improve sound insulation. She said: “We are doing everything we can to resolve any issues. But this behaviour towards the co-owners is unacceptable.”

Following the licensing review call, club bosses changed the premises licence holder from Blackburn-based Triangles Leisure Ltd to The Aviary Kitchen Ltd in April, papers add.

Police have had various meetings with the managers and responded to incidents and complaints. A police submission says: “While revocation of the licence may not be appropriate currently, the licensing committee should seriously consider earlier closing times and whether amplified music should be allowed at all beyond a certain time.”

The Aviary was contacted for comment. Previously they have told the LDRS: “We adhere to all of the conditions every time the premises is open and we have written records which show this. Since taking over the premises we have been in communication with the council and environment health department regularly to ensure that we are doing everything within our control to work with, and prevent complaints, from the local community.”

All sides will have their say at the review in Clitheroe on Thursday, July 9, at 10am.