The owner of a Norfolk Broads pub has refuted a series of noise complaints by comparing his drum and bass events to a Take That concert at Carrow Road.
Raymond Hollocks has hit out at South Norfolk Council after the authority revealed his pub is subject to a fresh investigation, accused of failing to moderate noise levels during music events.
The Beauchamp Arms, which sits on the banks of the River Yare near Langley, has lately faced several controversies, including an alcohol licence review, after noise complaints were received from boats moored miles away from the venue.
However, Mr Hollocks believes the scrutiny is unfair and compared the drum and bass events hosted at the pub to music performances at larger venues across the county.
He said: "We understand that it can be heard but nobody has ever said it is intrusive and louder than the recent Take That concert in Norwich.
"The complaints to the council appear to state the music is horrible and I agree, but this is not a dictatorship and we have to support the younger generation in their choice of music and give them a safe site rather than illegal raves in fields."
South Norfolk Council received four complaints over the weekend while the pub was hosting a two-day-long 60th birthday celebration which included late-night DJ performances.
Mr Hollocks says he is "forced" to host the events for the business to be viable and insists he has been consistently monitoring decibel readings at the site to minimise the impact on neighbours.
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A spokeswoman for South Norfolk Council said: "The Beauchamp Arms is currently under investigation for failing to apply appropriate and consistent noise control measures for events held at this venue.
"This year, we have received over 30 complaints, prompting officers to conduct out-of-hours visits to monitor the noise levels. While some events have been well-managed, others have led to numerous noise complaints.
"To mitigate further complaints, we have strongly encouraged the owners to implement appropriate noise controls and ideally implement a suitable and robust noise management plan.
"Regrettably, complaints persist, and our investigations are ongoing."
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