The nightclub has yet to receive a noise complaint despite that being a reason for the sale.
September saw the opening of new student accommodation at St Leonards House and Gillows, which are both neighbours of the Sugarhouse. Despite the new influx of residents in close proximity, there have been no noise complaints made so far this year – even though “risk of noise complaints” was identified as a key reason to sell it.
Trevor Bargh, the CEO of CityBlock which owns the accommodation at Gillows, expressed his disappointment at the plans to sell the Sugarhouse in September. He told the Lancaster Guardian: “We’ve spent over £400,000 soundproofing Gillows (affecting the development timetable) to ensure there would be no issues with noise interference and that both our student accommodation and the nearby nightclub – a venue we’ve always been fully supportive of – could happily coexist.”
The information about noise complaints was obtained by Cllr Jack O’Dwyer-Henry in a request to the City Council’s Environmental Health team. O’Dwyer-Henry, who represents University and Scotforth Rural Ward, told SCAN:
“I don’t think many students ever believed LUSU’s claim that potential noise complaints was their real reason for trying to shut down Sugar. The fact that no noise complaints have been made since the accommodation beside Sugar was opened shows that students’ scepticism was justified. The City Council required that all the new student housing beside Sugar is stringently soundproofed, and the lack of noise complaints shows that this is working.
“Until the President of the Students’ Union chooses to implement the Save Our Sugarhouse AGM motion, and publish the full minutes and reports of the Trustee Board in his position as Chair, students shall remain in the dark as to the rationale for shutting Sugar. I hope this situation will change ahead of the Week 8 referendum, so students will be able to cast an informed vote.”
A Students’ Union spokesperson told SCAN:
“We are aware that there have been no complaints of noise relating to the Sugarhouse this term. This is in no doubt due to our Sugarhouse staff who make every effort to be good neighbours to those living nearby.”
