Extensive sound proofing at Canterbury’s Orange Street Music venue has reduced noise from the listed building dramatically, a hearing was told.

Stefan Colley, one of the owners, told Canterbury council’s licensing sub-committee that drums were now played only on the drum riser, a decibel recorder had been bought to check noise levels from bands, fewer loud acts were being booked and extensive sound proofing had been carried out.

His comments came at the meeting which was a follow-up to one in May when neighbour Juliet Morris asked the sub-committee for a review of the premises licence because of noise.

At that meeting conditions were imposed on Orange Street Music, which included carrying out sound proofing work and the hearing was adjourned so the place could be inspected by the council while a band was playing.

Mr Colley told the sub-committee: “Great strides have been made to carry out all the recommendations which were put forward when we last met.

“We have also employed extra sound engineers as well. Several Fridays and Saturdays it has been quite noisy but it is nowhere near as noisy as it was.”

Mrs Morris told the hearing that the sound proofing had been hugely successful but she had still heard noisy music for four nights, on one occasion until midnight.

The dates she put forward for those nights, Mr Colley said, were mainly unamplified acts.

Julie Oates, the council’s senior environmental officer, said she had visited the club on a Tuesday night and the noise was barely audible from nearby properties.

“The only sound you can really hear now coming from the venue is the lower tone of the bass which is always the hardest thing to get rid of,” Mrs Oates said. “There is a very faint bass buzz audible outside but that is negligible.”

Mrs Oates said she also visited when a five-piece band was playing and the noise levels were fine.

Cllr Jeanne Harrison, chairman of the panel, asked the club owners to check noise break-out by walking around the neighbourhood several times a night when bands were playing.

Conditions imposed at the last hearing were left in place.