Resident objects to Westport pub licence

An elderly widow who lives next door to a Westport pub has objected to its licence at the local District Court.
Nancy Coughlan of Mill Street, Westport, objected to an application from Tom Armstrong for the pub known as Bould Biddy’s on Mill Street.
The pub is currently closed, pending renovations, and Mrs Coughlan has objected particularly on the grounds of potentially excessive loud music at the venue. Mrs Coughlan told the court that she had enjoyed a good relationship with the licensee who ran the pub for the last 17 years, but that she had an issue with an earlier licensee who allowed loud music and she had to to take the matter to court.
Mrs Coughlan is requesting that the music at the venue be ‘non-amplified’. She said this had been the case for the previous 17 years. However, Mr Armstrong disputed this.
Tom Armstrong told the court that he had purchased the pub last June and was planning to open it next month. He was asked to give an undertaking not to play amplified music, but he said he would not give such an undertaking. He went on to say that most of the music that would be played at the pub would be traditional Irish music and that the only amplified music would be the occasional ‘one-man band’.
John Geary, solicitor for Mr Armstrong, said an objection could only be brought if a problem materialised, not in advance of one. Judge Mary Devins said this situation was different, as Mr Armstrong conceded he was going to play amplified music.
Mrs Coughlan said she had lived in the house next door for over 40 years. She said her previous application over 17 years ago was because of music which was so loud that she could not sleep or hear her own television.
Her solicitor, James Hanley, said she also had concerns over smokers from the pub going out the back door where gas cylinders are located. Mr Armstrong said only staff would have access to the back area and that the smoking area is located at the front of the pub, on the public footpath.  Mr Armstrong said he would expect to have entertainment in the pub twice a month.
Judge Devins said to both parties that she was sure they wanted to maintain ‘good neigbourly relations’ and that she would adjourn the case until December to ‘see how things work out’ in the interim. She urged both parties to come to an agreement.