Zig-a-zig Ahh!

ZIGGY’S MANAGEMENT went up against the Council yesterday in a battle to stay open.

The student favourite was just able to hang onto its license – but has been slapped with stricter regulations that it must stick to – or else it could face closure.

Noise complaints from residents in the surrounding area that date back to 2006, as well as additional accusations of poor crowd control, were presented as evidence at the City of York Council hearing.

Neighbour Adrian Strong, who lives close to the nightspot, said: “It is regularly impossible for my wife and I to sleep in the rear bedroom of our home without using earplugs.”

He claimed that the noise problem was “particularly acute” on student nights.

A report into the noisy nuisance by Helen Howlett, senior Environmental Protection Officer, found that the problem was made much worse when the rear fire-door of the club was left open. This situation tended to occur on Wednesday nights.

Speaking exclusively to Vision, Ziggy’s owner Andrew Elliot said: “It’s you naughty little students who text your mates when we’re full to get let in through the back door, then leave it open.”

Mr. Elliot claimed that following several warnings from the Council he had put measures in place to alleviate the problem.

These include a noise limiter on the DJ booth and an alarm that goes off when the fire-door is opened.
“I’ve done everything and more that the Council wanted,” he said.

The licensing panel decided to add the improvements as 10 new conditions of the club’s license. A new condition requiring the club to ensure noise is contained means the onus is now on Ziggy’s to keep their noise down, or face the consequences.

“I am more than happy to accept the conditions, and I feel now we have solved the problem” said Mr. Elliot.