Whalley residents share concerns amid licensing review

On first appearance, the village of Whalley looks like many other picturesque spots in a part of Lancashire renowned for its beauty.

By day, it is just that – independent chocolate box-style shop line cobbled streets. Its picture postcard beauty rivals the Lake District.

But by night, many residents say the streets are plagued by late disturbances, as its high street struggles to cope with the volume of revellers who flock to blow off steam.

It’s not a new problem in Whalley. The situation has left many residents scared to speak out, through fear of potential repercussions.

But they are about to be quizzed by Ribble Valley Council over a "cumulative assessment impact", which aims to control licensing in Whalley.

Cafes and shops in Whalley (Picture: Robbie MacDonald)

The special system has existed for nearly five years and requires business owners to show how proposed food, drink, music and hospitality activity – or changes to existing licences – will not add to the alleged pressures or problems.

A minority of venues recently came into criticism from the council, who claimed – that while mostly well-run, they impact badly on some residents. Instead, these night spots have questioned police resources, and the differing tastes of younger and older generations.

‘TOO MANY LICENCES AND TOO MANY PEOPLE’

Peter Foley, of Queen Street, said: “First and foremost, too many licences are being granted. There must be over 30 licensed premises in Whalley. There are too many.

"But they keep granting licenses and people are coming here from all over the place. They catch the train from Rochdale. Whalley’s a little village but it’s like the Wild West at weekends.

"We’re not against businesses but they should not be getting late licences until 4am or whatever.

“In the football season, people come from places like Blackpool and Rochdale. They watch the lunchtime match in pubs, have a few bevvies, then watch the 4.30pm match, and have some more bevvies until they fall down.

"Word gets round that everyone’s going to Whalley. They ask their mates if they fancy tagging on? And on it goes.

“We live quite far away from the clubs but we still hear the noise at night.

"Also people gather outside for a smoke and don’t realise how loudly they’re talking when they’ve had a few drinks. We’ve live here since 1986. Queen Street has changed a lot in that time. All the licensees have to improve things.”

Whalley (Picture: Robbie MacDonald)

Partner Julie Foley added: “There are piles of sick and empty beer glasses left on the street. Some neighbours are out on the street, complaining. They’re at their wit’s end. Some neighbours go away away at weekends because of the noise.

“They did the cumulative impact assessment [in the past] and people thought there would be no more licences. But somebody gets a licence here, there and everywhere.”

COMPLAINTS AND REPERCUSSION FEARS

When visited by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a number of Queen Street residents would only speak to the media if they were not photographed and their names were changed.

They said they were worried about repercussions for criticising aspects of Whalley nightlife but did not want to go into details.

One neighbour, asking to be called Sarah, said: “In the afternoons, hen parties come to The Aviary for bottomless brunches. There are crowds of women screeching.

"Women wearing plastic penises on their heads are roaming around during the day. Yet families come to Whalley to see the abbey.

"Young men come down here with ridiculous souped-up cars, showing-off by driving up and down the one-way street,

“We’ve had talks with the police and Ribble Valley Council over the years and tried to improve things. Queen Street is narrow. But crowds of people stand outside the club creating noise and the club doors are left open.

“There is a grey area about who is responsible for customers once they leave a premises, the police or the venue? If there was an assault, the police would deal with it. But what about noise?

"We’ve invited the owners of The Aviary to speak to us but they have not.

“Years ago, The Aviary was a Conservative Club with just a few men inside. If they ever had an event, they’d tell us in advance. In recent years, it’s been promoted as a wine and cocktail bar. But it’s a club really.”

The Aviary (Picture: Robbie MacDonald)

She added: “There are some good places in Whalley and it’s great to have quality food and nice company. But there are other places that do not offer that. ”

‘DISRESPECT’

Another neighbour, known as Dee, said: “For me, disrespectful behaviour is the biggest issue. People have no respect for residents. Car parking is a nightmare. Friday and Saturday nights are jammed with cars. There are arguments.

“Noise is another issue. I take co-codamol at night. That’s the only way I sleep.

"The club says they try to keep the noise down but it doesn’t make any difference [to the volume].

"The front bedroom in our house gets all the noise from activity on the street. The back bedroom gets all the music noise. I hear the music – boom, boom, boom… I don’t want any club to be shut down. I just want them to be respectful of the street. We don’t need the music blaring out.”

She added: “Alta has been called different names over the years – Rio’s, Rendezvous, Maxine’s. But in recent times it’s had a license to stay open until 4am some nights. That’s one of the reasons why customers go there from across the area.

“The Aviary does afternoon events too. Brunches with all-you-can-eat. People eat, drink and get plastered.And people visit different venues throughout Whalley on Saturday afternoons. They start drinking at 2pm and drink all day and night. The pubs are full on weekend afternoons.

“Drugs are a big problem too, here and Clitheroe. People come here from Clitheroe for drugs, that needs to be tackled.

"There have been drugs raids at venues across the whole village. My house-mate saw people taking drugs down the alleys around Queen Street. ”

The Aviary (Picture: Robbie MacDonald)

Another neighbour from near Accrington Road brought a box with empty canisters of nitrous oxide, laughing gas, found around his house.

He said people fill balloons with the gas then inhale it. Empty balloons are found on the streets too.

(Picture: Robbie MacDonald)

Laughing gas canisters (Picture: Robbie MacDonald)

Another woman on Accrington Road said fighting on the streets was her main worry.

WINE SHOP OWNER

Businesses are to be consulted too over whether Whalley’s special licensing system in has been working.

Matt Monk runs Whalley Wine Shop on King Street, which has developed a wine bar next-door.

The business has been held up as a good example by Ribble Valley councillors and Whalley residents.

He said: “The wine shop used to have a small tasting area. It developed as a place for a quiet drink.

"In the past, ladies might come for a glass of Prosecco and the lads might go to the pub for a pint. We only sold wine.

“It got busier and busier. After the Covid pandemic, a bank moved out from next-door and we opened a wine bar.

"People wanted a bit of food and somewhere to sit. So the wine bar has developed with cold meats and a charcuterie menu. People know who we are and what we represent.”

Matt Monk, who runs Whalley Wine Shop (Picture: Robbie MacDonald)

He added: “I completely understand people’s concerns about Whalley and we try to be a sympathetic business. The wine bar is only open until 10.30pm. We’ve kept our hours to that.

"The wine shop has a licence to 10pm but we close it at 8pm. When we previously did drinks in the shop, last orders was 9pm. We didn’t want to go later.

“We also have to remember that Whalley is smaller than Clitheroe or Blackburn. Whalley can only hold so many licensed premises. Most businesses are pretty observant of licensing conditions and welcome well-behaved customers. But unfortunately they can’t control everything outside.

“Whalley has also seen a lot of new homes which has brought more people. But the centre of the village has remained the same size.

"I think the cumulative impact assessment has some criteria about the number of licensed premises to the size of the population. Whalley has quite a few licensed premises and reminds me of Lytham. It gets people visiting from far and wide.

“Lytham now seems to mainly have licensed businesses and charity shop. It’ll be interesting to see how Whalley develops.

"There are a few Whalley property changes happening with some old shops coming up for sale. Will they become restaurants and cafes?

"It’ll also be interesting to see how the Euro football championships go in Whalley. Some pubs are operating booking systems for seats for customers to watch matches.”

MUSIC VENUES AND POLICE VIEWS

Elsewhere, Tom and Edd Marsh run The Salvage House on Back King Street. This week, one Ribble Valley councillor, Mark Hindle, raised concerns about the venue, regarding alleged noise.

Cllr Mark Hindle of Ribble Valley Council

But Tom and Edd said: ”Our licence allows us to serve until 10.30pm with people out by 11pm. Any music is usually over by 10pm.

"This is in contrast to virtually every other Whalley licensed premise, which open until after 11pm or 12am on weekends. We only occasionally open on Sundays and only open regularly on Friday and Saturday.

"We have the right to use one of our 20 temporary event notices to extend opening hours but have used zero this year.

“We have only had the police called for a violent incident twice since we opened in 2020.

"Both incidents were minor with no injuries. Looking at the licensees’ WhatsApp group for the other premises, this number is extremely low. There are frequently incidents in other venues.

“The elephant in the room in the discussion about Whalley is the huge rise in housing.

"Also the Whalley-Billington area doesn’t really have any peripheral licensed venues any more, with Breda Murphy’s and The Judge Walmsley having closed.

“It has a small village nucleus and a hugely-swelled population that creates pressure for local venues. Licensees then take the blame when it’s clearly a demographic and planning problem.

“The venues cited [by councillors] as being well-run are aimed at older people. Venues that are more attractive to a younger crowd are deemed a nuisance.

"Whalley is an expensive place to buy or rent, with mostly older people who can afford to live in the centre.

"They then complain about customers using the venues that younger people head to.

"Do younger people not have a right to go to establishments they prefer?

“At a meeting with police and licensees in 2021, following a negative news article, the police said statistics for crime and nuisance behaviour reported for the area were actually low, even for the Ribble Valley, suggesting hyperbolic reports by locals.

“We have local customers and even neighbours who tell us they can’t understand the complaints.

"They can’t hear noise and think our venue is well-run and a credit to the village.

"We have so many locals telling is this that I would suggest they far outnumber the complainants.”

They added: “We grew up in Billington and our sister lives across from what is now the Alta nightclub.

"Ten or 20 years ago, there seemed to be a constant police presence at night on weekends, especially on Accrington Road.

"This has reduced, with sometimes none, despite a large rise in licensed premises and population.

"This [police reduction] is due to budget cuts by the same Conservative Party which most of these complaining councillors represent.”

A sign at the Alta club (Picture: Robbie MacDonald)

The Aviary was contacted for comment. It was criticised by Cllr Mark Hindle this week at Ribble Valley Council.

The Aviary said it would consider a reply once if had further details about the council meeting.

A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “The licensed premises in Whalley are one of our neighbourhood policing priorities.

"We are working with Ribble Valley Council, residents of the area and licensed premises to find a solution to the issues raised.”