Pierluigi’s Pasta Fresca at 86-90 Beckenham High Street promises “authentic Italian with a modern charm” for its customers, but the restaurant has prompted 26 noise complaints from neighbours since May 2024.
It has also breached its existing licence several times in recent years, according to a council report.
Nearby residents have complained of hearing loud music coming from the restaurant from 10pm onwards into the early hours of the morning.
One complaint, made on February 1 this year, said: “Every Saturday Pierluigi’s hosts very loud events. It is getting louder and louder and carries on until 2am.”
Other recent licence breaches include the discovery in late 2023 that tamper evident seals on a noise limiting device had been broken.
The noise limiter was installed in March 2023 after a court had imposed additional licensing conditions.
In March of this year, Bromley’s public health nuisance team applied for a review of the restaurant’s current premises licence due to the noise complaints.
Bromley Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee decided there was “ample and sufficient evidence” that the prevention of public nuisance licensing objective had been undermined.
It imposed new licensing conditions that no music could be played at the venue – except for background music that must “not be above the level of normal conversation in a restaurant environment” – while the restaurant’s CCTV system must cover the internal dining area and record audio, and the premises licence would be suspended for two months.
However, Pierluigi’s appealed to Bromley Magistrates’ Court against the licensing committee’s decision and it is still trading as before until the appeal is heard in court.
Following this, the restaurant made a new premises licence application in May which will be determined at a meeting of Bromley Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee on Tuesday, August 12.
This application seeks an extension to when the Italian can stay open and serve alcohol, as well as introducing the licensable activity of playing recorded music at the venue, something not included in its licence previously.
Pierluigi’s is currently permitted to remain open until 11pm on weekdays and until 12.30am on Fridays and 1am on Saturdays.
It now hopes to remain open until 12.30am on weekdays, and until 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Alleged sexual assault
The application was originally meant to be heard at a committee meeting on June 23, but police requested an adjournment following an alleged serious sexual assault at the premises on the previous day of June 22.
This investigation has resulted in additional information being submitted to the licensing committee, but it is being withheld from the public.
Local police and Bromley’s own planning, public health nuisance and licensing teams have all objected to the application.
Police objected primarily on the grounds that the restaurant had not included any of the conditions proposed at the March licence review within the new application.
In their objection, PC Tina Dandridge said that police considered the restaurant’s management to be “very dismissive” in relation to an alleged assault that took place within Pierluigi’s on January 24, 2024.
PC Dandridge said: “Officers that attended and dealt with the incident reported that the victim was very intoxicated laying on the floor vomiting.”
Bromley licensing officer Graham White stated that the actions of the establishment gave the image that the business “is unwilling to comply with the rules and regulations that apply to their business until forced to do so, at which point they deal with it through a legalistic approach rather than communicating and co-operating with the relevant authorities”.
Mr White also said that the new application seeks to avoid the measures that were imposed during the March licence review by reinstating the ability to play recorded music and by having a CCTV system that does not cover the interior nor records audio.
Application divides locals
Members of the public have also made their views known in regards to the new licence application, with Bromley Council receiving 9 objections and 13 letters of support.
One resident of Kelsey Park Road – a road just south of Pierluigi’s – said: “This restaurant was for many years a valued asset to the community, but more recently appears to have attempted to reinvent itself as a quasi-nightclub, with little regard for its residential neighbours.
“It now regularly plays extremely loud and intrusive music into the early hours of the morning.”
Another resident on the same street claimed that Pierluigi’s customers leave the restaurant at night and wait in Kelsey Park Road for cars “to pull up and deliver their drugs to them”.
They continued: “When I have challenged them the response verges on violence. The residents of our road are afraid to be on their doorsteps at night or walk in the street. Complaining to the restaurant staff about the noise and antisocial behaviour has led to threats being issued by them to the complainer.”
Those writing in to signal their support for the restaurant have described it as a “much-loved local restaurant” and a “professionally run business that contributes positively to the local community and high street”.
One supporter said: “The family team behind the restaurant work so very hard and to such high standards to bring an amazing dining experience for all its customers.
“I know that they would act responsibly if they had an extension to the licensing hours as all the team have already fostered good working relationships with neighbours and the local community.”
Another wrote: “Restaurants like Pierluigi’s play a key role in making Beckenham a lively and attractive destination in the evenings.
“Extending their hours would not only help meet the clear demand from customers but also support the wider local economy by increasing footfall and encouraging people to spend more time and money in the area.
“Furthermore, the restaurant has always struck me as being well run and respectful of its neighbours. It is not a rowdy venue; rather, it contributes to a friendly and sociable environment that many locals value.”
