The Arena at Manning's on Sea Road faces a licence review over loud music. Comments close 13 October; what it is licensed for and what the council can do.
The premises licence for The Arena, the entertainment space at Manning Amusement Park on Sea Road in Felixstowe, is under review. The grounds are noise from loud music.
East Suffolk Council has published the review notice. Anyone can comment, and comments must be in by Tuesday 13 October.
What the notice says
The review notice is made under section 51 of the Licensing Act 2003. It gives one ground for the review: the prevention of public nuisance.
The reason it states is short: “Local residents subjected to noise disturbance from loud music being played in The Arena.”
The notice does not say who applied for the review. It does not give a hearing date either. It sits on the council’s licensing public notices page under “Applications for review of premises licence”, and it is the only review listed there.
What The Arena is licensed to do
The council’s public register shows licence PREM2007, held by Manning Amusement Park Limited. The register dates the current licence from 9 September 2025.
| Activity | Days | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Opening hours | Monday to Sunday | 10am to 11.30pm |
| Live music, indoors and outdoors | Monday to Sunday | 10am to 11pm |
| Recorded music, indoors and outdoors | Monday to Sunday | 10am to 11pm |
| Dance, plays, films, boxing or wrestling | Monday to Sunday | 10am to 11pm |
| Alcohol, on and off the premises | Monday to Sunday | 10am to 11pm |
The licence already carries two conditions aimed at noise. Under the heading “The prevention of public nuisance”, it says:
- there shall be no amplified music for any regulated entertainment unless a written noise management plan for that activity is submitted two weeks before the event and approved by the licensing authority
- the volume of any regulated entertainment “shall be strictly controlled so that noise and vibration levels are non-intrusive at the boundaries of nearby properties”
Other conditions require CCTV, membership of the local Nightsafe scheme, and at least two weeks’ notice to the police of any planned event.
A review is where those conditions get tested. The committee will look at whether they are working, and whether they are being kept.
What the council can do
A review ends in a hearing before the council’s licensing sub-committee. Under section 52 of the Licensing Act 2003, the committee can take no action, or it can do one or more of these:
- change the conditions on the licence, for example tighter noise limits or earlier finishing times
- remove a licensable activity, such as recorded music, from the licence
- remove the designated premises supervisor
- suspend the licence for up to three months
- revoke the licence
The committee must act only where it is appropriate to promote the licensing objectives. In a noise case, that means preventing public nuisance.
What it means for you
If you live near the seafront and have been affected, or if you want to support the venue, you can send a representation. It must be in writing and reach the council between 16 September and 13 October 2026.
- Email: Licensing@eastsuffolk.gov.uk
- Post: Licensing Team, East Suffolk Council, Riverside, 4 Canning Road, Lowestoft NR33 0EQ
Stick to the facts: dates, times, what you heard and where you heard it from. The notice warns that knowingly or recklessly making a false statement in connection with the application is an offence.
Representations that are relevant to the licensing objectives go to the hearing. The council has not yet set a date. We will add it here when it does.
For more on the council’s decisions, see our planning news and the Felixstowe businesses directory.
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