Noisy restaurant

[PineNutPine]

NC for this. And I know it’s AIBU but please don’t make me feel bad (eg why did you move there in the first place) as I haven’t been able to stop crying.

We moved into our rented house a few years ago and it is a few doors away from a cafe. It used to be a very nice quiet neighbourhood cafe. Last year it got new owners and the council agreed to let them have tables and chairs outside on our quiet road and it turned more into an outdoor drinking place. People would perhaps get a snack and then drink and be quite loud, and this is on our street!

The residents of the road (including me) complained to the council asking for their outdoor seating to be taken away. Because every night when the weather is nice I can just hear people being loud, plates etc hanging and smoke going into my house. The council said because we didn’t log it officially last summer (instead just kept asking the owners to keep the noise down/ask people to stop sitting on our windows smoking) that they cannot stop the outdoor seating. We really tried with the council and now sadly myself and my neighbours who are also renting will have to move. I feel so let down by the council. And now the restaurant owners are being very rude to us which is creating an awkward atmosphere.

As I mentioned we are renting and we are really actively looking to buy but nothing has come up. I don’t know how I’ll handle the noise again this summer. I sort of thought I’d have moved by now.

I also have young children who are unphased by the noise but it is making me miserable and I dread summer. How can I make myself feel better? I can see them “building” their outdoor area and I just feel sad that we have another summer of this. I keep checking the weather app hoping for cold/rain just so I can get an evening of peace once they have their outdoor area up.

So the application for the outsoor seating went to the licensing committee. They received ten objections from residents on the street (following a letter a group of neighbours sent to local houses, which someone showed the owner and now he hates us lol). The objections discussed the noise and behaviour.
But the committee said they didn’t have any evidence of this as no one had previously actually complained to the council. So it was a case of he said she said. So they approved their licence for this year to have outdoors. and if they receive complaints they’ll reconsider for next year.

FFS! Beyond cheeky.
Start watering the window boxes with a hose as soon as anyone is there.

That’s a great way to look at it. I wouldn’t compromise on a quiet road, driveway and large garden. But initially we wanted to be within walking distance to a station but having reconsidered I’d be happy to drive there. That’s a good way of looking at it.

It’s awful. It really is. We have had enough. The owners new line of argument is that we should move if we don’t like it/we shouldn’t have ever rented near a cafe if we didn’t like it. So the blame is on us!

You rented near a cafe which was a quiet cafe and then the new owners decided to have outdoor seating until late at night so the blame absolutely isn't on you.
And a lot of blame has to lie with the cafe owners for allowing their staff to lean against your window boxes and smoke. That's ridiculous. That could easily be solved by the cafe owners saying to staff that they are NOT, under any circumstances, to smoke outside neighbours' homes because they've been getting complaints about it.

I know :( they’re just so horrible and unreasonable. We tell them and they just say oh well it’s part of living here. And since the neighbours and the anonymous letters it’s been even worse. I am dreading summer.

If you're ready to buy I would just stick it out for the summer and continue to complain. Hopefully you will have bought somewhere by next summer. It's not like we get amazing weather all the time. If it's only for a short time until you can buy id just live it with it for a bit.

That’s really true. This week is so glorious and sunny so it’s got me thinking it’ll be like this all year!!

I’d do everything I could to limit the nuisance. Barb wire or similar on the window boxes? If it’s young people using the restaurant and you’re older then one of those high pitched noise devices. You could even just play it via your phone/ipad, it drives Dd demented and she comes running out her bedroom screaming and I can’t hear a thing 😁. Banging on the window and shouting at people smoking/leaning on your property every single time. Complaining to the council every single day there is noise/cigarette smoke, etc. they can withdraw a licence early I believe.

And yes, just be glad you rent and don’t own this house.

You need to print some letters that you can post though doors of houses in areas you are interested in.

I'm looking at buying in your area, are you interested in selling. Ring me. Type thing.

You never know someone might be considering moving

So true. One of the neighbours is moving and all of their feedback (they own) is that they don’t want to be near the cafe. Also last summer the outdoor licence was just for summer. This year it’s from April-November and they’re allowed outdoor heaters!

To make matters worse they’re having an opening party for the outdoor seating!

How horrible for you. I hope you get some good advice on here.

In the meantime, motion activated sprinklers?

I would fight fire with fire (I'm a petty cunt) and would do everything in my power (legally) to make the environment as uncomfortable as possible for the customers.

Keep records.