The manager of a bar close to one of Kent’s biggest concert venues has taken aim at rules preventing him playing outdoor background music.

Sundowners boss Iain Maxstead has launched a bid for a single speaker on his Terrace Deck above the Marine Drive shelter in Margate – but the local council has recommended it be rejected.

For years, amplified music restrictions have been imposed on his beachfront seating area while Dreamland, a two-minute walk away, regularly holds outdoor shows.

But now, Mr Maxstead - the director of Proud Pink Inns, which runs the LGBTQ+ bar - has taken issue with the disparity between the rules.

He told KentOnline: “It is our intention purely to play from a single speaker background music so people can enjoy the atmosphere and the area right here next to the coast.

“We’re not looking at putting on big music events here, we’re talking about a little bit of background music.

“Even the fish and chip shop down the road plays music.

“We could fill the terrace with speakers and we couldn’t match what Dreamland can put out.

“I don’t see how a little bit of background music on a terrace outside a bar is affecting Margate at all.”

Mr Maxstead says the rules are “unfair” given that Dreamland, situated next to Margate’s train station and residential block Arlington House, can regularly host huge concerts, festivals and other events.

In May this year, he applied to Thanet District Council (TDC) to remove the restrictions from 11.30am to 9pm between April 1 to October 31.

His official planning papers request permission for “low volume background music, plus occasional cabaret entertainment for seated customers”.

The bid has divided opinion, attracting over 100 representations to TDC’s planning department.

The authority is recommending councillors vote against the planning application, saying music “would result in significant harm by virtue of disturbance to nearby residential neighbours that would be unacceptable”.

Of the 118 comments on Mr Maxstead’s application, 90 are in support and 28 against.

One neighbour wrote: “In the past few years the whole street's residents suffered from very high noise until the very late hours.

“This made it impossible for me to even watch television in my own house. They have unbearable karaoke and bingo complete with shouting and screaming.”

Another added: “It really does make it a terrible place to live - not just the constant music but the noise and behaviour of the cabaret singers and customers.”

“We dread the summer months,” said another.

But more than three times as many people have written to back the application.

“The music and entertainment at the Victorian Terrace over the past seven years has been a great addition to the local community,” argues Stefano Ricci.

Also supporting the plans, Trish Hallet writes: “I have often sat watching the entertainment and seen people walking past joining in with the singing or breaking out into a dance with big smiles on their faces. Surely this should be what Margate is about.”

Praising the “one-of-a-kind institution”, Gabrielle Tierney asked: “If neighbours complain, why did they buy a property there?”

Cllr Rob Yates (Lab), who represents the area on TDC, also backed the application, writing: “The only complaint I have ever received about Sundowners from a nearby resident has been the quality of the participants taking part in the karaoke.

“It would be a travesty to not allow Sundowners to operate music from this terrace, as they have done for years, whilst Dreamland next door can freely blast their music across our town,” he continued.

TDC’s planning committee will make the final call at a meeting this evening.