Guildford's Boileroom saved

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Ed Sheeran encourages fans to sign petition to save The Boileroom

Local music lovers will be rejoicing over the news that Guildford's Boileroom won't be closing. Emily Davis reports

The future of Guildford's much loved music venue, The Boileroom, in Stoke Fields, has been secured.

Following a licence review hearing on Friday 19 September, it was decided that the popular venue should be allowed to stay open, providing certain conditions were met.

They include closing the venue's garden 30 minutes earlier than at present and reducing the decibel level at which the noise limiter is set.

The garden will also be subject to stricter supervision by marshalls in high visibility jackets.

Earlier this year in June, an application to suspend the venue’s license was put forward to Guildford Borough Council by two neighbours, Robert and Lisa Hopkins.

The couple claimed that the venue had committed “regular and continued breaches” which had “a serious impact” on residents. Other complaints included vandalism, threatening behaviour, curse words and people urinating on properties.

However The Boileroom owner, Dominique Frazer responded to the allegations saying: “We have such an open dialogue with environmental health and local police. As far as we are concerned we are compliant with everything”

“We go above and beyond to make sure we are not a nuisance to our neighbours” she added.

Mrs Frazer was astounded with the response she got, with the likes of Ed Sheeran tweeting in support encouraging his fans to sign the petition, as well as Max Helyer, guitarist for popular Weybridge born rock band You Me At Six tweeting about the issue.

Sheeran, who played some of his first gigs at The Boileroom, asked his followers to sign a petition to save the venue.

The petition has since received over 10,000 signatures.

“I didn't think we would get to 100 [singatures]” Mrs Frazer said. “You don't realise how much public support you have. We are literally overwhelmed.”

She added, “People rally round when it’s something they care about. If this [petition] doesn't show the council The Boileroom needs to stay, then I don't know what will.”

Commenting on the outcome of the Licensing Sub-Committee's review, Cllr Paul Spooner, Lead Councillor for Licensing and Governance, said:

"The Licensing Sub-Committee carefully considered the evidence regarding the case for review. The Council has a legal duty as the licensing authority to ensure that the licensing objectives are met. The new conditions have been set to address the concerns raised."