Complaints about "thudding" music from Dunstable "swingers' club" fail to force change to premises licence

Complaints about “thudding” music coming from a Bedfordshire venue popular with swingers failed to have its licence changed.

Local residents are unhappy about noise late into the night from Penthouse Playrooms in Dunstable.

But measures have been taken to rectify problems and a noise limiter operates efficiently, Central Bedfordshire Council’s licensing sub-committee was told.

The venue is located on High Street North, within the same building as Dunstable Snooker Club. Penthouse Playrooms is a swingers and fetish members club for like-minded individuals in the lifestyle, according to a website for the venue.

“We’ve taken over Arousals in Dunstable and have given it a massive refurbishment to create a seriously sexy swingers’ wonderland, licensed bar and playrooms for our members to enjoy,” it said.

The current premises licence authorises the playing of recorded music from 11pm to midnight on Thursdays, and from 11pm to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, said a council report.

“Penthouse Playrooms can provide live or recorded music from midday to 10pm Wednesday to Sunday, and midday to 11pm Fridays and Saturdays to audiences of less than 500.”

CBC licensing team manager Nicola O’Donnell told the meeting: “The premises operated as a members’ club called Arousals for several years. The main concerns relate to noise, while another issue is whether the venue should hold a sexual entertainment licence.

“It’s our understanding it operates as a swingers’ club and doesn’t offer the type of entertainment requiring such a licence.”

Resident Sian Ridgley said: “Since the refurbishment in 2021 from Arousals, we’ve suffered with the music every weekend. We appreciate things have been done, although unfortunately it hasn’t stopped the noise. It’s better than it was, but we’re still being disturbed on a weekly basis. The music has been played beyond 3am more than once.

“My daughter is unable to go to bed without hearing the constant thud. It’s affecting us mentally. Once you hear that constant thudding, you can’t unhear it.”

She added people have been seen leaving the premises walking down the street “barely dressed”.

Tracey Pattie, from the local authority’s public protection team, said: “The limiter was checked twice and found to be working. There’s no statutory nuisance.”

Independent licensing consultant Stewart Gibson, representing the venue management, said: “The levels were set by environmental protection and are considered acceptable. The limiter is locked away in a box on the premises, to which nobody else has access. It can’t be bypassed. A bass speaker has been removed from the premises since the early days.

“If you turn the music up above the permitted level, it cuts out automatically. The premises closes at 3am. When management leave around that time, they’ve heard music coming from a private residence.

“Since 2021, thousands of pounds has been spent improving the premises. Management went beyond what’s been asked by CBC public protection, which says there’s no case to answer.”

Conservative Caddington councillor Kevin Collins, who chaired the meeting, said: “No modifications to the current licence will be imposed, with a right of appeal to the magistrates court within 21 days.”