A PUB will have to produce a noise impact report if it wants to hold weddings on its lawn following a complaint from a couple who live a mile away.

The Crown, at Pantygelli near Abergavenny, asked for permission to vary its licence so it could host events on its back lawn with a marquee with live and recorded music.

But Alison and Ian Houghton, who live across the valley from the pub, made an objection as they said by a “quirk of geography” they can hear noise from existing outside events at the pub.

Applicants Nick and Amy Clayton-Ford told the hearing they needed to hold additional events as a result of the chancellor’s autumn budget that will increase costs for the pub and restaurant, that employs 37 staff, by £56,000.

During the hearing, which was called due to the objection from the couple and Monmouthshire County Council environmental health officer Huw Owen, Mrs Houghton said she and her husband would be willing to withdraw their objection if a noise impact assessment was produced.

However committee chairman Councillor Tudor Thomas said it would still consider their objection as there was no such report, which Mr Owen had recommended.

Mrs Houghton said during the meeting, when she outlined her concerns: “To Nick and Amy we’re really sorry we had to make this objection. It’s not something we wanted to do but we felt it important just to make our points.”

She had told the committee their garden, and most of their rooms, face the direction of the pub and acknowledged the applicants have made adjustments, such as moving the direction of speakers, in response to their complaints about events on the front lawn allowed under the existing licence.

The requested changes to the licence are to allow alcohol sales in a temporary marquee on the back lawn until midnight and recorded music until 11pm.

“It is quite difficult for us,” said Mrs Houghton: “Nick and Amy have been doing a great job at the pub and this has put us in a difficult position and we’re not direct neighbours. We are a mile away, across the valley, but by some quirk of geography the noise from music at the pub travels directly across the valley.”

Mr Clayton-Ford said concerns raised by environmental health officer Mr Owen could have been resolved by better communication. He said: “Weddings wouldn’t be 50 to 100 people as the officer said. We don’t want the big weddings, we want to offer 10 to 30 guests, probably people on a second wedding who don’t want a huge party.”

Mr Clayton-Ford said he hadn’t commissioned a noise impact assessment as he understood, from a telephone conversation with Mr Owen, the officer didn’t believe it would provide the required information. Mr Owen said there appeared to be a “miscommunication”.

Chairman Cllr Thomas said he and his two colleagues agreed a decision should be adjourned for a noise impact assessment to be produced. He said a temporary permission couldn’t be granted as “unfortunately the system doesn’t work like that”.