Legendary Manchester gig venue Night & Day says it could still be facing closure following a noise complaint from a neighbouring apartment last year.
The beloved music and arts hub faces a court hearing at the end of November, or otherwise complying with the requirements of the abatement notice, which it says ‘would effectively ruin Night & Day’s business’.
The venue’s owner says the fault ‘lies squarely with Manchester City Council’, adding that planning permission was granted for the flats where the noise complainant lives despite the planning department ‘knowing about the potential for noise disturbance’.
Night & Day has also claimed that an acoustic report was not provided and acoustic works not completed when the neighbouring building was turned into apartments – a claim that the Council ‘completely rejects’.
The tangled drama all began last November, when a person who lived beside the venue complained about the noise.
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Night & Day. Credit: Supplied
They had moved in during lockdown, when music venues were shuttered and silent, and filed a noise complaint when Night & Day resumed its normal activities.
Manchester City Council has repeatedly stressed that a noise abatement notice does not have the power to shut down a venue, and said it ‘remains supportive of the music scene in Manchester which Night and Day has championed’.
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For three decades, the venue has hosted the likes of Ed Sheeran, Arctic Monkeys, Wet Leg, James Bay and Elbow – and Elbow’s frontman Guy Garvey is one of the voices who has spoken out about Night & Day’s noise abatement notice.
He described it as a ‘shameful disgrace’ and said: “That this corner stone of our city’s culture is under attack again is bewildering.”
He later added: “The message to the council is drop this and focus on making it the last time it happens to any music venue in our city.
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“To everyone else concerned I cannot stress enough that anger directed at the complainants is misdirected. This is the council’s problem.
“Please pour your energy into supporting the campaign to save Night & Day and in due course the national legislation to prevent this happening to any historic venue that has been nick-named Jan’s Law.”
Owner Jennifer Smithson, daughter of the late founder and Manchester icon Jan Oldenburg, said: “We were one of the founding businesses in the development of the Northern Quarter, people wanted to move here because of vibrant, interesting places like Night & Day which is great and it’s really enhanced the area.
Manchester City Council (MCC) refuse to remove the Noise Abatement Notice they served on us last November.
Night & Day have appealed the notice. We have and continue to operate in the exact same manner as we have done previously and for the past 30 years. pic.twitter.com/cc6u7TI6ZT
“What is particularly galling is that the planning department knew about the potential for noise disturbance from Night & Day when it issued the planning consent to turn the warehouse next door into residential flats.
“A separate acoustic report was required to establish what could be done to prevent noise from Night & Day impacting residents of the building. However, no separate acoustic report was ever prepared by the developer and the planning department allowed the building to be occupied without suitable acoustic insulation works.
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“We now have to either accept the noise abatement notice, which will put us at risk of immediate prosecution in the event of noise complaints, or go to court at significant expense to appeal it. This could mean the end of Night & Day forever. It’s a nightmare.”
“It’s just so unfair,” she continued. “We believe that the fault lies squarely with Manchester City Council. They could cancel the noise abatement notice and rectify the problem that they originally caused, rather than close down a business that’s been the beating heart of the Manchester music scene for decades.”
A spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: “It must be made explicitly clear from the outset that the Council has never threatened to close down this venue, nor is there any legislation which would allow a Noise Abatement Notice to be used to close a premises.
Credit: Facebook, Night & Day Cafe
“It is important to reiterate throughout this process extensive discussions have taken place to try and address the statutory noise nuisance which was the sole reason a Noise Abatement Notice (NAN) was served.
“The Council is, and remains, supportive of the music scene in Manchester which Night and Day has championed, but we have to comply with our duties in respect of statutory nuisance. It is also important to state that the source of complaints regarding this venue relate to very loud music played into the early hours of the morning and not live band performances.
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“The Council’s planning records show that an acoustic report was provided during the development of surrounding units, and the Council completely rejects any suggestion that planning conditions were not met.
“The Council will continue to work towards an amicable resolution where the noise nuisance is fully addressed.”
Night & Day has started a petition to have the noise abatement notice removed – you can read more and sign it here.
Featured image: Facebook – Night & Day Cafe
News
70% of North West residents think Andy Burnham has ‘done well’ as Greater Manchester Mayor
Emily Sergeant
A new survey has revealed that 70% of North West residents think Andy Burnham has ‘done well’ in his job as Greater Manchester Mayor.
It this point, it’s hardly a secret that Andy Burnham’s run in the upcoming Makerfield by-election is about more than just becoming an MP, with expectations that – if he wins, of course – he will go on to challenge Keir Starmer for the position of Prime Minister.
But do Brits believe Burnham has what it takes for the top job? Well, YouGov has set out to answer this question with a new survey, seeing how much people think he’s succeeded in his role as Mayor of Greater Manchester.
The survey found that Brits tend to believe Burnham has ‘done well’ in his current job as Mayor, with 44% of survey respondents nationwide saying so, in comparison to just 12% who’ve gained the impression he’s done poorly and a further 44% saying they are unsure.
70% of North West residents think Andy Burnham has ‘done well’ as Greater Manchester Mayor / Credit: GMCA | Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)
Although this poll is, admittedly, not a large enough sample to examine Burnham’s reputation in Greater Manchester alone, it was discovered that an impressive 71% of those in the wider North West region think he’s done a good job, while just 14% believe the opposite.
The most interesting part about this statistic is that Burnham’s reputation as an effective Mayor appears to be spread across political parties – even somewhat conflicting one.
It includes 66% of those who voted Labour in 2024, as well as 56% of those who backed the Lib Dems and 51% of those who voted Green. Conservative voters also tend to believe Burnham has been a good Mayor, by 41% to 19%, while Reform UK voters are split 33% to 31% on his effectiveness.
Britons tend to think it's unclear what Andy Burnham stands for, even if more feel it's clear what he believes than what Keir Starmer believes
Around four in 10 Brits (39-43%) describe Burnham as being competent, likeable, and decisive, and around 27% see him as trustworthy.
Whether he is ready for a promotion to Prime Minister in the future though, now that divides the public.
According to YouGov’s findings, a third of Brits (33%) believe Burnham looks like a leader ‘in waiting’, but this is then matched by the same amount who feel he doesn’t look like a Prime Minister at present.
While the public might not be sold on Burnham as a Prime Minister just yet, what can be seen is that opinion on whether he is up to the job compare favourably to current opposition leader, Kemi Badenoch.
Featured Image – TfGM
News
Transfers: Manchester United reportedly in the race for Rafael Leao as asking price is revealed
Danny Jones
In the latest transfer news coming out of Manchester, Man United are reportedly set to make the first move in an effort to sign Serie A star Rafael Leao after AC Milan are said to have ‘offered’ the wantaway winger to Premier League rivals Arsenal.
After being linked with MUFC on and off in the past, this could shape up to be a tasty tug of war if all rumours are to be believed.
But a recent interview by Leao may have pricked up ears over at Old Trafford and Carrington:
Do you think there are some hints being dropped here?…
Speaking to London-born and now Manchester-headquartered (interesting…) streetwear and jewellery brand Cernucci on their new podcast, the Portuguese international confessed to presenter Fred Buckley that he spent much of his childhood watching Man United, and still does to this day.
While he also admitted he likes Arsenal, adding even more fuel to the fire of the links with the Gunners, he also named Cristiano Ronaldo as his idol; either way, the ‘Rossoneri’ are believed to be asking for between £43-50 million for the former Sporting and Lille player.
A teammate of his with the national squad and having starred for major European sides, winning silverware – a Serie A title and Italian Super Cup, as well as a UEFA Nations League with Portugal – he’s evidently looking to try and emulate his fellow compatriots’ success moving forward.
Now 26 years old, he’s at a crucial juncture in his career, and despite being criticised for his work rate and efforts off the ball at times, not to mention blowing somewhat hot and cold in and around a fair few injury problems, the next big money move feels almost inevitable as he approaches his ‘prime’ years.
As you can see, many Milan fans have seemingly turned on him already after he made his plans to depart rather publicly, which has also seen him pop up on the radar of several other Champions League competitors this summer.
One such alternative suitor outside of English football is Galatasaray, with multiple Italian and Turkish outlets claiming that the club are the only team to be drawing up a ‘formal proposal’ thus far.
Journalist Matteo Moretto does state, however, that no official offer has been made as yet.
Daisy Jackson -
27th October 2022 
