NIGHTCLUB bosses are being taken to court after failing to prevent a noise nuisance affecting its neighbours.

Those running Mojo, in Barton Street, Tewkesbury, were warned by the borough council earlier this year they had to reduce noise levels or risk being prosecuted.

The council's interim corporate head of environment and waste management, Richard Kirk, said: "A noise abatement notice was served in early March, which required the noise from the nightclub to be reduced immediately.

"Officers have since witnessed further outbreaks of noise that amount to a statutory nuisance at nearby residential properties.

"Therefore, a prosecution under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for a breach of the abatement notice has been sought by the council."

The authority expects the case to go before Cheltenham magistrates later this month.

If convicted, the club's designated premises supervisor, Vicky Lawson, could be fined up to £20,000.

The council says that since the summons was served, work had been carried out by the club's owner, Punch Taverns, to soundproof the building. But it said it had yet to establish if it had reduced the noise to an acceptable level.

Vicky, who holds the lease to the club along with her partner Ed Spires, said she thought the council had given them until mid-May to get the sound-proofing done so she was surprised the notice was issued in March.

She said: "We are aware of a small number of residents in the centre of town behind our property who felt the noise levels were a problem.

"We took on a very old building in December and have been working hard to make it an exciting late-night venue."

She says the club is now sound-proofed and what had been a disused pub had undergone a £45,000 revamp.

She added: "We believe we have now created a fun and inviting venue for the town. This money has not been forced out of any brewery but paid for by the lease holders of the bar, who hope to continue to trade in Tewkesbury.

"We hope the court can see we have continually tried to reduce noise levels and does not give us the £20,000 fine the council wants."