Licensing watchdog imposing new conditions on Greyhound Social Club after local noise complaints

A long-running noise war between homeowners and a Sydney social club has come to a head after claims ‘excessive noise’ from the venue is causing nearby homes to ‘shake’ and leaving local residents unable to sleep.

A long-running noise war between southwest Sydney homeowners and a local social club has come to a head after claims “excessive noise” from the venue is causing nearby homes to “shake” and leaving local residents unable to sleep.

Liquor and Gaming NSW has imposed a new licensing condition on the Greyhound Social Club in Yagoona in response to noise and disturbance complaints from residents living near the venue.

The warning comes despite the NSW Government this week announcing new planning reforms to protect entertainment venues from the threat of noise complaints.

The government said the changes would end the “NSW sport” of a single neighbour with serial complaints shutting down venues.

The Greyhound Social Club – which trades as Arena Sports Club – backs onto several homes and has a long history as a local greyhound racing and social venue, opening in 1964.

A photo of the club.

The venue also hosts Vietnamese karaoke nights, boxing classes, cultural functions and kickboxing activities.

A majority of complaints centred on claims the venue holds “extremely loud music and bass” that reverberate into nearby homes.

The lead complainant described the events as “nightclub style in nature” and were “so loud they cause doors and windows of nearby homes to shake”.

The site hosts various events.

Residents claimed the late-night activities also impacted residents’ sleep before work or school the next day as well as causing “anxiety and stress”.

Residents called on Liquor and Gaming to impose a ban on events involving loud music and bass at the club.

The venue – in its written response to Liquor and Gaming – rejected claims it was causing noise disturbances and argued it has taken measures to address noise including maintaining a noise register and commissioning independent acoustic testing.

The site has a long history as a greyhound club.

But Liquor and Gaming NSW director of regulatory operations and enforcement Jane Lin – who investigated the complaints – said the club had provided “limited information” on how events including karaoke and cultural events operate at the venue.

“While I acknowledge the need to support live music at licensed premises, I am not satisfied the club has taken this complaint seriously or attempted to implement any measure to manage and mitigate disturbance,” Ms Lin said.

“Since this complaint was lodged, Liquor and Gaming NSW continues to receive complaints relating to noise from the club.

“While it was encouraging that the (club) initially indicated acoustic testing would take place, there is no evidence that further testing has occurred.”

Ms Lin said evidence showed the venue at times had “unduly disturbed the quiet and good order of the neighbourhood” and imposed a licence condition on the venue.

The condition requires the venue to reduce noise levels during certain operating periods which she said would “help ensure the club does not continue to unduly disturb the neighbourhood”.

“This condition does not prohibit or limit the type of entertainment or events that can be held at the club. Instead, this condition sets a limit which noise from the club cannot exceed,” Ms Lin said.

The club was contacted by this publication for comment about the outcome of the investigation but did not provide a response. The venue operated for about 33 years before the complaints were lodged with Liquor and Gaming NSW.