Bromley (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Beckenham residents complain Pierluigi’s Pasta Fresca draws troublemakers and plays loud music on weekends, disturbing sleep and community peace.
On August 12, Pierluigi’s Pasta Fresca, located at 86-90 Beckenham High Street, submitted an application for a new premises license to the Bromley Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee. In May, Sofia Figuera Martin’s family-run Italian eatery Pierluigi requested permission to play recorded music and increase its hours of operation.
Due to frequent noise complaints from surrounding households, many of whom claimed the restaurant had turned into a “quasi-nightclub,” the council’s public health nuisance team requested in March that the restaurant’s current premises license be reviewed, which triggered this application.
The subcommittee concluded in this evaluation that there was “ample and sufficient evidence” that licensing objectives had been compromised. As a result, it imposed new requirements, one of which was that recorded music could not be played beyond a background noise level.
According to David Dadds, Ms. Figuera Martin’s attorney, the revised application was a “genuine attempt” to address the issues brought up, and by dropping the court appeal, they hoped to potentially save both parties “hundreds of thousands of pounds.”
The application was opposed by Bromley’s own planning, public health nuisance, and licensing teams, as well as local police, who attended the hearing.
Due to officers allegedly visiting the restaurant once a week despite the staff always being “very civil and very cooperative,” the restaurant viewed the numerous noise complaints as “hearsay evidence” that had no merit and accused Bromley Council and local police of launching a “campaign of surveillance and intimidation verging on harassment.”
According to Pierluigi’s, they had communicated with a council whistleblower who disclosed to them that the council had conducted 42 surprise visits to the eatery between January 2024 and March 2025.
In addition, the purported whistleblower claimed that during meetings, council officers had disparaged Ms. Figuera Martin and her brothers.
At the committee hearing, Pierluigi’s explained their ‘vibe dining’ business model which involves customers visiting the restaurant on weekend evenings and enjoying the dining experience which is accompanied by loud music provided by a DJ.
“It’s not a club and you can’t just come in for drinks”,
they clarified.
Because it involved an alleged sexual assault that occurred at Pierluigi’s in the early hours of June 22, a substantial section of the licence application hearing was closed to the public.
According to police, the incident’s inquiry was ended because there was insufficient proof; however, it would be reopened if new material became available, and the victim received ongoing care from specialized officers.
Regarding the alleged sexual assault, Mr. Dadds stated that his client behaved professionally at the time of the occurrence and was “very passionate about standing up for women.”
The application was heard by the Bromley Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee yesterday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It has not yet made its final conclusion public.
How might the license extensions impact community noise complaints?
Extended licenses typically allow businesses to operate later into the night or at higher capacity, increasing noise levels from amplified music, patrons leaving late, and general activity.
This leads to more frequent disturbances, especially in residential areas where noise disrupts sleep and daily life. Noise complaints often spike during overnight hours and weekends, coinciding with extended business hours.
Chronic exposure to unwanted noise, such as loud music late at night, can cause stress, sleep disruption, and mental health problems for nearby residents. The psychological burden of persistent noise can intensify social conflicts and contribute to negative health outcomes.