Popular LGBTQ+ bar Street 66 has been forced to lower its decibel levels following a noise complaint from residents living above the venue. Siobhan Comny, the owner of the bar on Dublin’s Parliament Street, appeared in Dublin District Court earlier this week where the decision was handed down. 

Tommy Bergin and his wife Mai Bergin, who live in an apartment above Street 66, lodged a formal objection against the bar in relation to its music, singing and dancing licences. According to the couple, the venue’s “thumping” club music has “decimated” their ability to sleep soundly.

Bergin, who works for Dublin City Council, moved into his Parliament Street apartment in 2021. He told the court that he has been having issues with the volume of the venue’s music since 2022, following the removal of Covid restrictions. According to Bergin, the music coming from the bar was “like an earthquake” and much louder than when he and his wife first moved in. 

Bergin told his barrister, Conor Duff: “My sleep pattern was absolutely decimated.” He claimed that even when using noise-cancelling headphones, “you could still hear the blast of Celine Dion and Whitney Houston.”

Bergin’s wife Mai similarly told the court that “the walls trembled” as a result of the venue’s music, which featured “a lot of Taylor Swift, Celine Dion, Britney Spears doing ‘Toxic’ at one, two, or three, and Whitney Houston and ‘Psycho Killer’.”

Judge Marie Quirke, who oversees public houses in the capital, heard the case at Dublin’s District Court. According to the judge, evidence was given to suggest that the building that houses Street 66 is not an ideal location to be shared between residential apartments and a nightclub. 

As a result of the noise complaint, the court conducted a joint assessment with sound experts Diarmuid Keaney (for Street 66) and Ted Dalton (for Bergin). While Keaney suggested reducing the music volume from 88 to 80 decibels, Dalton argued that the music should be limited to 78 decibels at the front of the bar. Judge Quirke ultimately agreed with Mr Bergin’s expert and ordered Street 66 to implement the decibel change. The judge argued that there was no empirical evidence to prove that the drop would affect the venue’s business. Quirke similarly ordered Comny and the Bergins to meet every four months to discuss the “unfortunate situation”. 

However, Quirke also granted the renewal of Street 66’s licences on the condition that the popular LGBTQ+ venue implements the 10-decibel change.

While Quirke admitted that the Bergins were entitled to peace and quiet in their home, the judge did not find bar owner Comny guilty of any wrongdoing. According to Quirke, Comny purchased the venue in good faith and was doing everything required of her by Irish law, including paying €52,000 for modifications, removing six bass speakers from the bar, installing air conditioners so that the venue’s windows and doors could be kept closed, and installing soundproofing upgrades. 

Quirke similarly allowed Street 66 to maintain its special exemptions that allow the venue to operate until 3am on weekends. 

Members of Dublin’s LGBTQ+ community have come out in support of Street 66 following the recent row with the Bergins, including drag legend Panti Bliss, who pointed out that the beloved bar has been operating for 30 years and is only now facing complaints from tenants.

This bar (originally as The Front Lounge, latterly as Street 66) has been operating at this location in the heart of the city centre in an entertainment area for *30 YEARS* and this couple moved in above it in 2021 (!) and are challenging its licence over the music 🙄 https://t.co/vJrha1iOvn

— Dr Panti Bliss-Cabrera (@PantiBliss) March 15, 2024

Meanwhile, others questioned whether the noise complaint from the Dublin City Council officer may have been linked to the controversial installation of bike racks outside the venue in June 2023.

Interesting that he works for DCC. Wonder does that have anything to do with the cycle racks they randomly put outside it so people couldn’t sit outside 🤡

— simon (@theskyconquer) March 15, 2024

Following the court’s decision, Comny told GCN: “I’m just thankful that we’ve retained our music license. Even with the decibel change, I’m confident that Pixie [Woo] and our other DJs will be able to maintain our atmosphere.”