A PUB in Worcester has scrapped a controversial bid to stage live music and entertainment until midnight following an outcry from residents.

The Glover's Needle, in Warndon, has shelved the attempt after 35 nearby residents signed a petition saying they've suffered "unbearable noise" and "dread Friday and Saturday nights" because of the noise.

During a heated Worcester City Council meeting today, residents in Windermere Drive turned up to say too much noise from the pub has been causing them misery.

The pub's management insisted it wanted to build bridges with the community and said owners Greene King no longer wanted the hour's extension of an evening.

But it did secure approval from the council's licensing sub-committee to open and sell alcohol from 10am, one hour earlier than now.

The evening restrictions stay the same, meaning all live entertainment like DJs and bands must finish at 11pm, with only background 'recorded music' then allowed until closing time.

It shuts at 11pm Sunday to Thursday, and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Pensioner Norman Hanley, 78, of Windermere Drive, who spoke for the residents, said: "The noise is unbearable now, you've got to hear it.

"I've been there so many times on Friday and Saturday nights to speak to them.

"Our lives are being made a misery, it's affecting our health and we can't put up with it any longer.

"It's a worry, a headache, we dread Friday and Saturday nights coming."

He said the pub frequently went past its 11pm cut-off for live music, but Rebecca Wiley, the landlady, said she no longer wanted an evening extension.

"The last thing I want to do is cause distress to anybody, it's a local community pub used by the residents of Warndon, we do not want conflict," she said.

“It came to my attention in late summer that residents had an issue with the pub, Environmental Health did come to see me and some suggestions were put forward.”

She told the committee after hearing about a petition, she decided to close all doors, draw the curtains when live music is on and go outside at 8pm on weekends to see if the noise is travelling to resident's homes.

In recent weeks the pub also offered to give residents special equipment to measure the noise levels when it reaches a peak, to ensure it did not breach Environmental Health guidelines, but nobody took it up.

She added: “What we’d like to do is have that background music on for an hour, not to attract people in but to allow for a ‘cooling off’ period after we have music like DJs and bands.”

Councillor Geoff Williams, who also represented the residents, said: "In some ways I'm disappointed to be here, because a local pub is a good thing for the community.

"But they do have a duty of responsibility and care to the residents.

"There's clearly an issue with the loudness of the music which has caused considerable distress."

Cllr Williams said he’d been representing the area since 1999 but it was “only in recent months” that complaints had started over the pub.

The committee agreed to let the Glover's Needle sell alcohol from 10am, an extra hour during the morning, but the evenings remain the same.

Councillor Paul Denham, who was chairing the meeting, urged residents to complain to Environmental Health is they have any repeat problems over noise from the venue.

“I am confident the licensee who runs it will make sure it doesn’t annoy the neighbours (after today),” he said.

“It’s good practice to maintain good relations with residents, and good for business reasons. If there is any breach at all, it should be reported to Environmental Health.”