Commercial noise
Case reference FOI2026/01945
Received 13 September 2026
Published 19 October 2026
Request
I am making a further request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 concerning The Boileroom, 13 Stoke Fields, Guildford, GU1 4LS.
Your previous FOI response identified the following complaints/reports concerning the premises in 2026:
5 June 2026 – Noise – “Emails with premises. Out of hours patrol investigation. Ongoing”
25 June 2026 – Noise – “Emails with premises. Out of hours patrol investigation. Ongoing”
17 July 2026 – Licensing/Noise – “Investigation just started”
You also advised that Environmental Health case reference SR 85559 was opened in response to the complaint received on 17 July 2026, which concerned alleged noise issues and licensing breaches, and that the matter was under investigation with no outcome recorded at the time of your response.
I would therefore like to request the following information:
1. The 17 July 2026 complaint and investigation:
Please provide the information held by the Council concerning the complaint/report received on 17 July 2026 and case reference SR 85559, including:
a. The date on which the complaint/report was received.
b. The date on which the investigation was opened.
c. The nature of the noise or licensing issue alleged, insofar as this is recorded in the Council's records.
d. Whether the complaint related to any of the following, where recorded: amplified music; bass or low-frequency noise; vibration; noise breakout from the premises; noise from customers or patrons outside the premises; external areas of the premises; operating hours; or an alleged breach of a specific licensing condition.
2. Investigation undertaken:
Please state whether, in relation to the 17 July 2026 complaint/case SR 85559, the Council has:
a. attended or visited the premises;
b. undertaken an out-of-hours investigation or patrol;
c. undertaken noise monitoring or measurements;
d. assessed recordings or other evidence submitted by a complainant;
e. contacted the premises or its management regarding the complaint;
f. reviewed the premises licence or its conditions; or g. undertaken any other investigative action.
For each action above, please provide the date on which it occurred, where this information is held.
3. Findings and outcome:
Please provide any recorded factual findings or conclusions arising from the investigation to date, including whether the Council has identified or recorded:
a. a statutory noise nuisance;
b. excessive or unreasonable noise;
c. noise breakout from the premises;
d. a breach or potential breach of a premises licence condition; or
e. any other breach or concern requiring intervention.
If no such finding has yet been made, please confirm this.
4. Action taken:
Please provide details of any action taken as a result of the 17 July 2026 complaint/case SR 85559, including any:
- warning or advice given to the premises;
- request for remedial action;
- formal notice;
- enforcement action;
- licensing action;
- licence review;
- additional monitoring;
- or other formal or recorded intervention.
If no action has been taken, please confirm this.
5. Current status:
Please confirm the current status of case SR 85559 as at the date of this request:
- open/ongoing;
- closed;
- no further action;
- or awaiting further investigation/action.
If the case remains open, please provide the date on which it was last reviewed and the general nature of any outstanding investigation or action, insofar as this information is held.
6. The June 2026 complaints:
Your previous response records complaints on both 5 June 2026 and 25 June 2026 as: “Emails with premises. Out of hours patrol investigation. Ongoing”
Please provide, for each of these two matters:
a. the date the complaint was received;
b. the nature of the complaint, insofar as recorded;
c. whether an out-of-hours investigation or patrol took place and, if so, the date;
d. whether any noise was observed, recorded or measured by the Council;
e. whether the premises was contacted and, if so, whether any action or advice was given;
f. the outcome/current status recorded by the Council; and
g. whether either matter remained open when the 17 July 2026 complaint was received.
7. Relationship between the June and July matters:
Please confirm whether the Council's records indicate that the complaints/reports of 5 June 2026, 25 June 2026 and 17 July 2026 were:
a. treated as separate complaints/cases; or
b. considered by officers as part of the same or a continuing noise/licensing issue.
If they were treated as separate cases, please provide the relevant case/reference numbers, where held.
8. Further complaints in 2026:
Please provide the total number of noise, licensing/noise or related nuisance complaints/reports concerning The Boileroom received by the Council between 1 January 2026 and the date of this request, broken down by date and, where possible, by the broad category/reason for complaint and recorded outcome.
9. Formal enforcement or licensing action:
Please provide copies of any formal:
- noise abatement notices;
- enforcement notices;
- warning notices;
- licensing notices;
- licence review applications or decisions;
- formal directions;
- or other formal enforcement documents issued to, or concerning, The Boileroom in relation to noise or licensing matters between 1 January 2026 and the date of this request.
Response
Thank you for your recent request under the Freedom of Information Act.
Please find the answers to your queries below:
I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act to request the following information:
Dear Freedom of Information Team, I am making a further request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 concerning The Boileroom, 13 Stoke Fields, Guildford, GU1 4LS.
Your previous FOI response identified the following complaints/reports concerning the premises in 2026:
5 June 2026 – Noise – “Emails with premises. Out of hours patrol investigation. Ongoing”
25 June 2026 – Noise – “Emails with premises. Out of hours patrol investigation. Ongoing”
17 July 2026 – Licensing/Noise – “Investigation just started”
You also advised that Environmental Health case reference SR 85559 was opened in response to the complaint received on 17 July 2026, which concerned alleged noise issues and licensing breaches, and that the matter was under investigation with no outcome recorded at the time of your response.
I would therefore like to request the following information:
1. The 17 July 2026 complaint and investigation:
Please provide the information held by the Council concerning the complaint/report received on 17 July 2026 and case reference SR 85559, including:
a. The date on which the complaint/report was received.
17th July 2026.
b. The date on which the investigation was opened.
17th July 2026.
c. The nature of the noise or licensing issue alleged, insofar as this is recorded in the Council's records.
Concern about non-compliance with licence conditions relating to noise.
d. Whether the complaint related to any of the following, where recorded: amplified music; bass or low-frequency noise; vibration; noise breakout from the premises; noise from customers or patrons outside the premises; external areas of the premises; operating hours; or an alleged breach of a specific licensing condition.
Please see response to 1c above.
2. Investigation undertaken:
Please state whether, in relation to the 17 July 2026 complaint/case SR 85559, the Council has:
a. attended or visited the premises;
Yes.
b. undertaken an out-of-hours investigation or patrol;
Yes.
c. undertaken noise monitoring or measurements;
Yes.
d. assessed recordings or other evidence submitted by a complainant;
No.
e. contacted the premises or its management regarding the complaint;
Yes.
f. reviewed the premises licence or its conditions; or g. undertaken any other investigative action.
No. Premises licence holder contacted initially on 21/07 and complaint discussed.
For each action above, please provide the date on which it occurred, where this information is held.
3. Findings and outcome:
Please provide any recorded factual findings or conclusions arising from the investigation to date, including whether the Council has identified or recorded:
a. a statutory noise nuisance;
b. excessive or unreasonable noise;
c. noise breakout from the premises;
d. a breach or potential breach of a premises licence condition; or
e. any other breach or concern requiring intervention.
If no such finding has yet been made, please confirm this.
No such finding has yet been made.
4. Action taken:
Please provide details of any action taken as a result of the 17 July 2026 complaint/case SR 85559, including any:
warning or advice given to the premises;
request for remedial action;
formal notice;
enforcement action;
licensing action;
licence review;
additional monitoring;
or other formal or recorded intervention.
If no action has been taken, please confirm this.
Advice has been given to the management and the premises was placed on the Council’s Out of Hours Patrol.
5. Current status:
Please confirm the current status of case SR 85559 as at the date of this request:
open/ongoing;
closed;
no further action;
or awaiting further investigation/action.
If the case remains open, please provide the date on which it was last reviewed and the general nature of any outstanding investigation or action, insofar as this information is held.
Open/ongoing, premises remains on the Council’s Out of Hours patrol for monitoring. Last reviewed 6 September.
6. The June 2026 complaints:
Your previous response records complaints on both 5 June 2026 and 25 June 2026 as: “Emails with premises. Out of hours patrol investigation. Ongoing”
Please provide, for each of these two matters:
a. the date the complaint was received;
5th June 2026.
b. the nature of the complaint, insofar as recorded;
Noise.
c. whether an out-of-hours investigation or patrol took place and, if so, the date;
25th July 2026.
d. whether any noise was observed, recorded or measured by the Council;
No noise concerns at time of visit.
e. whether the premises was contacted and, if so, whether any action or advice was given;
Not contacted by Environmental Health.
f. the outcome/current status recorded by the Council;
Case is now closed.
g. whether either matter remained open when the 17 July 2026 complaint was received.
Yes.
7. Relationship between the June and July matters:
Please confirm whether the Council's records indicate that the complaints/reports of 5 June 2026, 25 June 2026 and 17 July 2026 were:
a. treated as separate complaints/cases;
Two complaints of 05/06/26 and 25/06/26 were assigned to Environmental Health and the 18/07/26 complaint was assigned to Licensing.
b. considered by officers as part of the same or a continuing noise/licensing issue.
The complaints related to the same premise but related to different matters. Each complaint is a separate case, but naturally some aspects were investigated consecutively and some aspects separately by different officers albeit with discussion between EH and Licensing.
If they were treated as separate cases, please provide the relevant case/reference numbers, where held.
05/06/26 – Ref: 85119
25/06/26 Ref: 85353
8. Further complaints in 2026:
Please provide the total number of noise, licensing/noise or related nuisance complaints/reports concerning The Boileroom received by the Council between 1 January 2026 and the date of this request, broken down by date and, where possible, by the broad category/reason for complaint and recorded outcome.
This has been responded to under FOI2026/01496.
9. Formal enforcement or licensing action:
Please provide copies of any formal:
noise abatement notices;
enforcement notices;
warning notices;
licensing notices;
licence review applications or decisions;
formal directions;
or other formal enforcement documents issued to, or concerning, The Boileroom in relation to noise or licensing matters between 1 January 2026 and the date of this request.
N/A.
Yours sincerely
FOI Team
Guildford Borough Council
Documents
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