Historic pub slapped with noise restrictions after furious neighbour complains about ‘faint giggles’ and ‘distant conversations’

An historic London pub has been hit with new noise restrictions after a neighbour complained about “faint giggles” and “murmuring” from customers keeping him awake.

The Globe, on central London’s busy Marylebone Road, had to go toe-to-toe with Westminster Licensing Committee over complaints about after-hours socialising.

The historic venue, just opposite Baker Street station, must now implement several new trading conditions while it waits a final decision on whether its closing time should be hauled forward from midnight to 11pm.

The restrictions came after neighbour Michael Zelouf raised concerns about persistent noise from patrons outside the establishment interrupting his sleep.

In messages submitted to the licensing committee, Zelouf detailed multiple late-night disturbances, including one from March 15 when he messaged the pub’s manager just after midnight.

“Can you please disperse the people outside the pub. They are making a lot of noise,” he wrote, later following up at 12:21am about continued laughter.

Another incident on March 27 involved patrons “screaming happy birthday” at midnight.

Speaking before the committee, Zelouf said: “Imagine you’ve just dozed off and you are woken up by a faint giggle.

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“You dozed off again to be woken up by a murmur from a distant conversation. Would your adrenaline spike?”

“That’s what happens to me each time I’m forced to complain about the licensing after 12am,” he added.

Following the review, Westminster Licensing Committee imposed several new conditions on The Globe’s operations.

The pub must now maintain a complaints log that should be available for inspection by authorities.

A direct phone line to the manager must also be made accessible to all residents.

Staff are required to supervise any customers in The Globe’s courtyard area, and the pub must develop both an external management plan and a dispersal policy.

The venue has also been prohibited from placing loudspeakers at its entrance, exit or outside areas.

One local councillor, Tory Karen Scarborough supported the complaint, saying that she had also fielded noise concerns from other residents at Portland Mansions.

The pub previously faced similar issues in 2022 over the “pinging” of beer barrels during deliveries.

A legal spokesman for The Globe defended the pub’s reputation, saying council officers had never found any “nuisances detected” during multiple visits to the premises.

The police had also not raised any concerns about antisocial behaviour at the venue.

“We say this is a good pub, doing good work that is well received… It does not undermine any of the licensing objectives,” the spokesman said.

He questioned the nature of the complaints, adding: “Murmuring and occasional bouts of laughter… When did that become a nuisance? I don’t accept, respectfully, that that can fairly be described as nuisance.”

No date has yet been set for the final decision on Zelouf’s application to reduce the pub’s trading hours.