Prospect Council takes action against Rasooi restaurant for operating an unauthorised live music venue in a backyard creche

Owners of a suburban restaurant turned a backyard creche into a late-night outdoor live music venue – complete with a spa. But neighbours weren’t prepared to join the party.

A suburban restaurant has been busted for making unauthorised changes to its garden, including adding a spa bath and live music area, after neighbours complained about unbearable noise.

Indian eatery Rasooi, nestled between family homes on Edgeworth St, Prospect, opened last June in a house previously used as a hairdresser salon.

The restaurant had planning approval for a creche area in its backyard so kids could play while their parents had dinner. But when the creche wasn’t getting much use, restaurant manager Ranandeep Khangura started using it for live bands.

Residents were quick to complain to Prospect Council, saying the music was keeping them up past 10pm on weeknights.

The unauthorised live music venue area at the back of Rasooi restaurant.

The suburban location of restaurant Rasooi and Garden by the Alley Bar at Prospect. Picture: Google

“My whole backyard is just pumping with their music,” one neighbour said. Picture: Prospect Council

Neighbour Toni Mallett-Outtrim said the noise was “absolutely horrific” and “destroying our quality of life”.

“My whole backyard is just pumping with their music,” Ms Mallett-Outtrim said.

“Last summer, we literally had to close up our house and live in the front of our home due to the vibrating, pumping noise they create.”

Another neighbour, Carolyn Williams, said it felt like her home had been “bombarded”, forcing her to install new doors to block out the “extremely intrusive” noise.

The Garden by the Alley backyard bar at restaurant Rasooi in Prospect. Picture: Prospect Council

The restaurant also had a spa bath.

“At no point could we use or entertain in our own garden due to the volume of music,” Ms Williams said.

Another person said: “Fairy lights, a spa bath and shower is highly detrimental to the former peace and quiet enjoyed by residents.”

Others complained about the loud karaoke sessions in the restaurant’s bar.

In response to the complaints, Mr Khangura earlier this month sought retrospective planning approval for about $100,000 worth of additions at Rasooi – including the spa bath and outdoor shower. However, the council’s development panel rejected the application.

Mr Khangura said the restaurant could continue to operate but none of the new additions at the back of the property could be used and live music was now barred in the backyard.

“We were wasting the (creche) space so we thought we could make better use of it with an outdoor dining area,” Mr Khangura said.

The Garden by the Alley bar at Prospect, in the backyard of restaurant Rasooi. Picture: Prospect Council

The garden venue, where live music played. Picture: Garden by the Ally

The live music venue even had an outdoor shower. Picture: Prospect Council

Party times ahead! Picture: Rasooi

He said the venue “gets a little bit noisy on the weekends” but music was still permitted inside the restaurant, which has a capacity of just over 100 people and operates from 6-11pm, six days a week.

Mr Khangura said he did not have to remove any of the new elements, including the spa. He plans to talk to the council about noise-reducing infrastructure in the hope of using them in the future.

The restaurant is still allowed to have outdoor diners at the front of the property.

Mr Khangura wished the panel had been “a little bit more lenient” and given him more time to address the noise concerns.

“I run a business, we all work hard and we spend a lot of money and time there,” he said. “But they’ve asked us to shut it off. It’s a bit disturbing.”