THE firm behind a Bradford pub, which had its licence revoked following complaints about loud music being played late at night, has been fined £15,000 by the courts.

Clifton Properties (Yorkshire) Ltd, the premises licence holder at the Wyke Rose pub, was found guilty in its absence of nine counts in relation to licensing breaches and failing to comply with an order to stop the late night noise.

In addition, pub manager Daniel York pleaded guilty to the same set of charges, and was fined £1,500 by Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court.

The court was told that complaints from those living near the Huddersfield Road pub began to be made to Bradford Council's environmental health team in June last year.

The pub's licence conditions mean that music should not be loud enough to be heard in neighbouring homes and must stop completely at 10pm.

Harjit Ryatt, for the Council, told magistrates that Council officers responded to the initial complaints with a visit and heard the loud music for themselves, with windows and doors left open at the pub.

Mr York initially told officers he believed they could play music until 1am and was not aware of the need to keep doors and windows shut to stop the noise escaping, the court heard.

Community protection warning letters were issued to those involved in running the pub, but as complaints continued, a community protection notice was served, including on designated premises supervisor Jacqueline Kitson.

"There was a short period of two to three months during which matters seem to have been resolved," said Mr Ryatt. "But by February 2019, there were more complaints.

"The Council tried to liaise with the designated premises supervisor and manager and reminded them of the need to abide by the terms of their licence and the notice.

"Breaches were observed directly by Council officers on May 25 and May 31, when music could be heard outside after 10pm."

Council officers were granted a warrant to seize noise making equipment from the business, and on June 22 four large TVs and 19 speakers, worth £1,360 new, were seized.

Mr Ryatt added that despite this, further noise breaches were witnessed by officers on July 19.

"Men were drinking outside the pub and the volume of music could clearly be heard in a complainant's property.

"At five to ten, Mr York came out to check on the loudness of the music and told somebody inside to shut all the doors and windows, but loud music could still be heard outside and in the complainant's property after 10pm."

The charges were three counts of failing to comply with a community protection notice, three counts of carrying on an unauthorised licensable activity - namely preventing noise arising from regulated entertainment from the Wyke Rose, and carrying on regulated entertainment after 10pm, on the dates witnessed by environmental health officers in May and July.

As well as the fines, Clifton Properties was ordered to pay £2,127 in costs and Mr York must pay £1,000 in costs. The case against designated premises supervisor Jacqueline Kitson was adjourned.

At a licensing panel hearing in September the pub's licence was revoked, as the business had breached its licence on numerous occasions and the panel did not have faith that the management would turn things around.

When asked to rate how bad the pub’s breaches were on a scale of 1 to 10, an environmental health officer told members she would rate it 10.