ANYONE who lives near a pub has always had to put up with a certain amount of noise, particularly on hot summer days when people sit outside in pub gardens or at closing time as revellers leave. The problem has become worse since the introduction of the smoking ban this summer. No longer is noise confined to the hot-test days or the half-hour after closing; crowds now congregate outside, even in miserable weather, and the noise lasts from the end of the working day until closing time. The problem is particularly acute in London, home to 3,800 pubs – almost 10 per cent of the UK total. It is not just the noise that is proving a problem. Litter has increased, too. According to Keep Britain Tidy, the number of cigarette butts dropped has increased by 43 per cent since the ban.

Andy Kliman, who works for the Royal Town Planning Institute, lives next door to a pub in Stroud Green, North London. “The noise level has got a lot worse, particularly at half time, if there is a football or rugby game on in the evening. I have a good relationship with the pub landlord and have spoken to him about it, but it is a new problem for the pubs too.” Mr Kliman says that the litter problem is also noticeably worse. “The smoking ban has certainly changed the feel of the area. But I am hopeful that, as winter draws in, people will not be so keen to sit outside.”

So far there is no firm evidence to suggest that the smoking ban has affected house prices. “Prices in my area are pretty robust because of the location,” Mr Kliman says. “And you do expect a certain level of noise if you live next door to a pub.” Some agents say that it is increasingly difficult to sell properties that are immediately next door to bars or pubs. Simon Boulton, of Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward’s Islington branch, says that, if you are prepared to put up with the noise and litter that smokers generate, you can snap up properties for up to £50,000 less than you would otherwise have paid. “We are selling a three-bedroom maisonette right next door to a pub on Richie Street for £599,999. If the flat was farther up the street, the property would be worth between £625,000 and £650,000.”

What can you do if noisy smokers are ruining your evenings? If a quiet word with the landlord has no effect, you should complain to the local council. Canvass your neighbours for their support, too: if the council receives a significant increase in complaints about a particular pub, the local authority can review the pub’s licence.

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Whether you want a pub to convert or a brand new home, search for properties at: timesonline.co.uk/property

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