Worthing's Angels Club Faces Licence Review

The review will be heard before Worthing Borough Council’s licensing and control sub-committee B, which will meet at 6.30pm on Wednesday, May 8, at Worthing Town Hall.

Adur & Worthing Councils’ public health and regulation environmental protection team called for the review on March 12, stating in a report to the committee the club was ‘undermining’ the prevention of public nuisance conditions of its licence.

An extension to available opening hours at the nightclub, in High Street, was approved in August last year – but the venue was prevented from making use of it by the council until it had completed a noise-insulation scheme.

The report said the club had not presented any noise-insulation scheme to the council since August, so the original opening hours were still in force.

The team has recommended committee members reduce the hours for regulated entertainment at the club, which includes live and recorded music, to 11pm every night, in order to reduce ‘excessive and unreasonable’ noise for nearby residents.

Currently, the club can run regulated entertainment from 10am until 12.10am Monday to Wednesday, until 2am on Thursday, until 3am on Friday and Saturday, and until 12.30am on Sunday – although the venue is currently open Thursday to Saturday, according to its website.

So far, six representations from nearby residents have been submitted in support of the review, raising concerns about noise levels and antisocial behaviour. Some noted the noise impact on their lives had got worse since Angel’s took over the premises from Bar 10.

In July, 2023, four months after opening, the council served Angel’s with a noise abatement notice – which, according to the report, saw ‘continued’ breaches of its conditions and complaints from residents.

The club’s management started a change.org petition on March 18 this year, entitled ‘Help Us Fight Worthing Council’ in response to the public health team’s review request. So far it has more than 130 signatures with a goal of 200, with management stating on the site the club was not a ‘nuisance’ but a ‘cultural asset’ to Worthing and a ‘key part’ of the town’s night-time economy, adding they were ‘very proud’ of what they have achieved.