Festival venue to stay open late despite objections

The Norfolk and Norwich Festival attracted about 60,000 people each year

A festival has been given permission to keep one of its venues open late into the evening despite objections.

Norfolk and Norwich Festival organisers applied for a licence to allow outdoor entertainment up until 23:00 BST in its 'Spiegeltent' in Chapelfield Gardens.

The venue had received noise complaints in the past from neighbours.

At a Norwich City Council licensing committee meeting on Tuesday, the authority agreed to the hours but asked organisers to monitor noise levels and share any complaints received.

The festival, which dates back hundreds of years, features an array of shows and performances at venues across the city during a two-week run.

Some of the festival's most popular shows have been hosted at the Spiegeltent.

The festival will be held from 9-25 May

Not all locals welcomed the move and some said "considerable" noise was already generated at the event.

William Oxley, who lives in St Giles Street, said: "This is unnerving for residents and makes life unpleasant in the evenings.

"I have complained on several occasions in the past to local councillors about noise on one-off events - which is bad enough. But this is too much."

Council officers recommended that new noise enforcement measures should be brought in to ensure sound levels did not impact neighbours.

However, organisers believed their current methods worked well and said the proposed changes would be too expensive.

Daniel Brine, director of the festival, said: "Like all charities, we count every penny.

"Far from being a threat and a nuisance, we see ourselves as an asset to the city."

Organisers told the council they would continue to monitor noise levels and share any complaints received.

This year's festival will run from 9 May to 25 May.