A ban on live bands may be slapped on a swinging pub by Bradford Council after a neighbour complained that even double glazing does not drown the noise.

Stephen Sefton claims that disturbance from the Robin Hood goes on after the music stops because revellers continue to sing loudly as they pass his house to go home.

But publican Martin Atkins argues that most of the people who live around the old pub in Towngate, Wyke are customers who enjoy the music.

He said there were thousands of people living around who had never reported problems.

"When you are a licensee you take your responsibilities seriously, and that's exactly what we do."

But officers will recommend Bradford Council's licensing sub-committee on Thursday to outlaw live bands or insist on stringent sound-proofing measures if they approve Mr Atkins' application for an entertainments licence.

A letter of support for the Robin Hood has been received by the sub- committee from a neighbour, Andrew Preston.

He said he had lived there for a year and had never been bothered by noise from live bands or discos.

Mr Atkins has asked for an entertainments licence between Monday and Sunday from 10.30am to 11.30pm.

He wants karaoke nights and discos once a week.

Mr Sefton said in his letter to the sub-committee: "When the events are being staged we have to make sure that all the windows of our house are closed.

"Even though we have double glazing it does not completely stop the noise."

He added that in summer the need to keep windows closed and the lack of fresh air circulating made the surroundings even more uncomfortable.

He suggested that if the licence

was granted at the Robin Hood the landlord should be obliged to close no later than 11.30pm and should also be responsible for making sure that people left quietly.

l Southfield Hotel publican Kim Bloomfield has also applied to the sub-committee for an entertainments licence between 10am and 11pm from Monday to Saturday on one night a week.

The Council's Environmental Protection Department will report to the sub-committee that there have been no noise problems at the pub in Southfield Lane, Bradford, when it was in the hands of a previous licensee.

The department's officers recommend that if a licence is granted in this instance the sub-committee should make it a condition that the main entrance has substantial, well

fitting and self-closing doors.

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