A RESTAURANT has been granted a licence for a DJ, live music and karaoke until 12.30am at weekends, despite concerns from residents about noise levels.
The Ceylon Tavern in Dorking applied for a variation to its current licence so music can be played on Friday and Saturday nights and at private parties and special events, as well as Sunday to Thursday until 11pm.
Representatives from the Chartwood Place Residents' Association spoke out at a hearing on Friday last week against the Sri Lankan restaurant, in South Street, being allowed to make the changes.
Derek East from the association said: "They will never be able to stop the noise or keep people from standing outside. You're definitely not going to be able to keep the noise down from karaoke music."
A letter of objection submitted by the association's chairman Karen Massey said: "The average age of the residents in the flats directly adjacent to the Ceylon Tavern is over 80 years.
"This is another unnecessary noise nuisance waiting to assail our elderly residents who have earned the right to a peaceful night's undisturbed sleep."
But Kanthan Thevarajah, director at the Ceylon Tavern, responded: "As our main business is the restaurant, we don't let the music in the bar get too loud, so it doesn't disturb our customers.
"Also the bar area is relatively small, so the volume doesn't need to be that high. This means the sound doesn't get loud enough to disturb surrounding residents."
He added: "I am quite happy to work with you and if you do feel it is getting too loud, we will turn it down.
"You are our customers and that's why we will always go outside and work out how noisy it is and make sure it isn't disturbing you."
The restaurant will employ a doorman every night from 9.30pm and last entry to the bar section will be 11.30pm.
Dan Miller, Surrey Police's licensing officer for Mole Valley, had spoken with the Ceylon Tavern about the licence variation before the hearing.
He said: "We have aligned it with the last entry times of other establishments in town, so people will not be moving around between them."
The age restriction for entering the bar section will be 21.
This was raised from 18 by the restaurant's management after an incident on February 23 when they called police to deal with four customers causing trouble outside the premises.
Councillors noted this was the only incident of its kind the restaurant had experienced after holding a licence to serve alcohol for a year and a half.
The Ceylon Tavern has also been given the green light to play music until midnight on Christmas Eve and until 2am on New Year's Eve.
