CLAIMS that a new music pub in Callington will be a ?15-hours a day noise polluter? have been refuted by the landlord, writes Alison Stephenson. Chris Francis, who plans to rename the Old Clink pub the Phoenix, said although extended hours were being applied for it would make no business sense to open the venue 15 hours a day. Local resident Philip Mallinder said many neighbours were concerned about the potential noise and were forming a residents? association: ?I believe it is going to be run as a club with music, dancing and karaoke. ?There are residents living all around the building, many of whom have to go to work and have children who will be unable to sleep. ?The employment of doormen and outside CCTV cameras gives you an idea of potential customers and there is no extra sound-proofing inside.? Mr Francis said he had no idea where these rumours were coming from: ?I understand that people may have genuine concerns but no-one has contacted me about them,? he said. ?I am putting a sign in the window of the pub inviting the immediate neighbours on a tour of the refurbished pub once the work has been completed. ?The brewery will be applying for extended hours but how I will run the business is another matter. The extended hours will cover special occasions and functions.? Mr Francis said he had spent the best part of £5,000 on sound-proofing and the doorstaff and CCTV cameras were to prevent under-age drinking and any potential trouble. He had a zero-tolerance policy. ?There has been trouble before in this area and I do not want any problems when we reopen ? these measures are to improve safety and I would have thought that was a good thing. The cameras will also benefit the town as a whole.? The landlord said he experienced no trouble at his Liskeard pub, the Railway, on Saturday nights with more than 300 customers because the business was ?well run.? ?I just want to run a good pub and at the end of the day a public house has stood here for many many years so people must be used to having it on their doorstep.?
