NO FURTHER action will be taken over noise and anti-social behaviour complaints linked to the Auld Hoose pub in North Berwick.

A host of complaints have been received by police from residents neighbouring the Forth Street pub in recent months.

The issue was first discussed at a meeting of East Lothian Council’s licensing board in March, when Councillor Jim Goodfellow, board chairman and local ward member, asked for a meeting of interested parties.

That meeting took place, and the pub’s licence came up for review at a meeting of the licensing board in Haddington last week.

Niall Hassard, the legal director representing pub owners Greene King Belhaven, outlined some of the complaints, and said Craig Edwards, landlord, had made “every effort” to reduce the noise around the pub.

He said: “The meeting was very positive – a zero tolerance approach was adopted.

“Such are his concerns that Craig has been going out into the street [Forth Street] to address noise problems that have nothing to do with the pub or customers.”

A diary of incidents, recorded by local resident Ian Lewis, was discussed.

His complaints, over a four-month period, range from shouting in the street to people singing and fireworks being let off locally.

Mr Hassard added: “There is a general concern here that there are incidents mentioned which have nothing to do with the Auld Hoose. It seems that there does not need to be any offence committed for people to cause a disruption.”

Board members were sympathetic, with Councillor Fraser McAllister saying the complaints log seemed “obsessive”.

He added: “If you buy a house next to a factory, you buy it with the knowledge that it’s there. There has to be some degree of tolerance and common sense.”

Councillor Tom Trotter agreed, and added: “There has been a lot of time spent on this – I do not think we as a board can do any more. I would rather the police were out doing real police work.”

They agreed no further action was necessary, but visits from Rudi Fruzynski, licensing standards officer, and local police, would continue.

David Kellock, North Berwick Community Council chairman, was pleased with the outcome.

He told the Courier: “The community council was encouraged to learn that the Auld Hoose has made such good progress.”