A FORMER Ipswich pub landlord has been fined �2,500 after fed-up neighbours repeatedly complained about loud music - and more prosecutions could follow.

A FORMER Ipswich pub landlord has been fined �2,500 after fed-up neighbours repeatedly complained about loud music - and more prosecutions could follow.

People living near Lily's Bar in St Helen's Street reported the premises to Ipswich Borough Council environmental protection officers and an investigation was launched.

The first complaints were received in October last year and environmental protection officers informed the then-licensee Thomas Welham that an inquiry was underway.

More reports of loud music followed later the same month, after which the council decided the disturbance was loud enough to be a statutory nuisance.

A letter and noise abatement notice and covering letter were then sent to Welham.

Two more complaints were made in February this year which meant the pub was in breach of the noise abatement notice and Mr Welham was told he was being prosecuted.

The case was heard at South East Suffolk Magistrates' court this week in Welham's absence and he was fined �2,500 and ordered him to pay council costs of �712.

Yesterday the borough council issued a stark warning to businesses to keep the noise down.

Environment protection manager Steve Rock said: “Most pubs do not cause a problem but we are pursuing a number of cases at present where music is being played at excessive levels and we are prepared to take action against any establishment that regularly creates unreasonably loud music that causes nuisance to neighbours.”

Mr Rock added: “We understand that Lily's Bar is now under new management and that the new team is trying to turn the pub into a more family friendly establishment. There have been no complaints from neighbours since.”

Michelle Taft, who is now managing Lily's Bar for London Town Pubs, said yesterday: “I took over here on March 9 and we are not going to do live amplified music anymore.

“We will have a juke box and sometimes a disco but not karaoke which is what the issue was about.

“We have a yard out the back and if the plans go through we will make into an area with children's games painted onto the courtyard like snakes and ladders, hopscotch and noughts and crosses.”