Norwich's pub's music go-ahead

David BaleA gay-friendly city pub is celebrating after it was allowed to keep its licence to play music and serve drinks into the early hours of the morning, with only slight amendments.David Bale

A gay-friendly city pub is celebrating after it was allowed to keep its licence to play music and serve drinks into the early hours of the morning, with only slight amendments.

The licence for the Catherine Wheel, in St Augustine's Street, was discussed by Norwich City Council's licensing subcommittee on Friday after a neighbour called for a review on the grounds of public nuisance. There had been a number of complaints from noise associated with the premises, and the council's environmental health had monitored noise levels.

The subcommittee had the power to revoke the licence or suspend it for three months, but councillors decided the pub could keep its licence, and knocked just 30 minutes off the opening times on Friday and Saturday nights.

The pub can also now use a restricted part of the back garden for smokers, which will mean less people going out the pub's front door to smoke, and less noise for neighbours to put up with.

Catherine Wheel licensee Bernice Perkins said: 'We were very pleased with the outcome and the people who called for the review were also happy.'