Three-day burglar alarm keeps Romford residents awake until the bitter end

Homeowners in the centre of Romford are used to being kept awake by pubs late at night - but not quite like this.

Red-eyed Brewery residents were driven not-so-quietly mad by a burglar alarm behind the Bitter End pub that was ringing for a staggering three days.

Havering Council’s lack of an out-of-hours noise pollution service delayed it from calling last orders on the alarm until Monday afternoon. The tiresome bell had been ringing since 3am on Saturday.

Victoria Barrett said the sound was “like a pneumatic drill on repeat that seeps through locked windows and doors and earplugs”.

Ms Barrett, 37, added she had called the council “several times” on Sunday but had been told the out-of-hours service was only there to deal with broken pipes and windows.

“People are sleeping in their front rooms to avoid it or moving out for a few nights,” she told the Recorder on Monday.

“We live in the Brewery, so we’re used to a bit of noise – from drunks and screaming girls late at night to pan pipes, accordions and the busker that only knows two songs and so sings them on repeat – but this is absolutely insane,” she said. “It drills deep into your head.

“I rang the council several times but Havering doesn’t have an out of hours ‘noise abatement service’ which on its own is rather absurd.”

A police spokesman confirmed the disturbance was the responsibility of the council.

Councillor Lesley Kelly, cabinet member for housing and public protection, said: “Following the noise complaints from residents we contacted the new owner of the building, which had recently been sold, and they sent someone to switch off the alarm.

“In any instance of noise pollution residents should report it to the council.”

Anyone who wishes to report noise pollution can do so online by filling in a form at https://online.havering.gov.uk/officeforms/environmental_health_problem.ofml.