Live music silenced at city bar after new neighbour complains about noise
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Dux Central owner Richard Sinke and operations manager Ross Herrick are disappointed they’ve had to scrap live music.
A wealthy businessman has forced what he calls a “hick bar” in central Christchurch to shut down live music after moving into the neighborhood, citing the noise violates legal limits.
Sid McAuley has vowed to “spend any money necessary” and even take legal action to ensure the Dux Central on Lichfield Street does not resume live concerts after they were suspended this year.
“If they want to punch me in the nose, I’ll punch them back,” he said.
Dux Central had hosted live music for several years, but then McAuley moved to a top-floor apartment nearby.
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He complained to Christchurch City Council about the noise and then sent a letter from his “solicitors and barristers” explaining that the bar was exceeding the 60 decibel limit.
“I’m not going to let some sneaky bar mess up my personal life,” he said.
“They won’t hit me because I will spend whatever money it takes to make sure they comply.
“We will take them to court if necessary.”
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Dux Central is in the white building on the left, while Smash Palace is on High St in the center of the image.
McAuley, chief executive of cold storage company Coolpak, said the noise from the live music was “absolutely awful”.
He hired acoustics engineers to measure the noise from his rooftop garden over a weekend and found the sound violated the limits of city planning codes.
“I know the absolute facts,” McAuley said. “I deal with facts.”
Dux Central operations manager Ross Herrick said he was “quite disappointed” to end live music after more than five years of regular performances. Revenue for Saturday nights without her was down about 12%, he said.
John Bisset/Stuff
Coolpak Coolstores CEO Sid McAuley moved into the downtown apartment about two years ago.
“It has definitely changed our business model.
“Without the live music, our customers leave a little earlier. We used to hold them out until 11 a.m. Now they leave at 9 or 9:30.”
But he said there was little they could do to fight.
“He’s a wealthy man.
“He has the tools to make things very difficult.”
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The Dux Central opened seven years ago and has been hosting live performances for about five or six years.
The row comes as live music venues in Christchurch are lobbiing the council to change scheduling rules. They want more protection from noise complaints from new downtown residents.
A council spokesman said staff are considering changes to the district plan as a result, but they would be “subject to the direction of the elected council.”
The district plan allows noise up to 60 dB at the Dux Central site. McAuley said those rules were in place when the bar opened there seven years ago.
“If they’ve got their business in the wrong area, that’s their problem. They didn’t do their research.
John Bisset/Stuff
Then Prime Minister John Key (left) chats with Sid McAuley at a National Party Conference cocktail party in 2009.
“When I bought this condo, I fully understood the precinct plan and noise limits… and knew I could live with them.”
Smash Palace owner Johnny Moore, whose bar is on the same block as Dux Central, said he has moved concert times to avoid complaints.
“Because there are more residents in the neighborhood, we have to cut the music much earlier in the evening,” he said.
“We don’t know what we’re going to do. Many powerful people have much more to say [on planning rules] than bars.”
JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/MATERIAL
Smash Palace is on the same block as Dux Central and has staggered concert times to avoid complaints.
Herrick said live music venues are essential to keeping Christchurch alive.
“Young people will go. Why would they stay here when they can move to Wellington?”
Existing uses should be protected downtown, he said.
