A COUPLE hope they will not have to pay the price for a pub's rowdy past.
Mark Quilla-Couch and his fiancee, Joanne Harvey, have applied for a music, singing and dancing licence for The Smithy pub, in Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough.
Dr Anthony Luke, principal environment protection officer at Middlesbrough Borough Council, is worried that the pub, which is on a housing estate, has a history of noise complaints.
Therefore, he is recommending councillors only grant the licence on condition that the couple fit a noise limiting device, the level of which would be decided by the council.
Mr Quilla-Couch and Miss Harvey, the licensee, say it would cost them £900 - on top of the £2,500 they have already spent on the pub since moving in last September.
It was only after a visit from the council's noise patrol that they were made aware the pub did not have a music licence - and live entertainment would have to stop.
Mr Quilla-Couch said: "On a Saturday night you could not move in here. Now, we are down £700 a week."
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