A restaurant and bar in South East London, which was accused of being so noisy it felt like a "nightclub," has retained its licence but must comply with new conditions. Civaena 2 España Bar y Restaurant in New Cross faced a review after Lewisham Council received multiple complaints regarding noise nuisance and disorderly behaviour linked to the venue.
Following a hearing with Lewisham Council's Licensing Sub-Committee on June 10, the venue's basement area had its terminal hours reduced and is required to create a noise management plan, subject to approval by licensing officers.
A legal representative for the venue acknowledged "shortcomings in the management" of the premises, particularly concerning noise control and customer dispersion. He stated that the previous Designated Premises Supervisor, who has been removed under the new licensing conditions, failed to communicate with residents, acknowledge their complaints, or engage with the licensing authority.
The review was initiated by the licensing authority, which claimed the venue failed to promote and uphold licensing objectives regarding the prevention of public nuisance and crime and disorder, along with repeated breaches of licensing conditions.
Shortly after the venue was permitted to extend its operating hours for the basement area in September 2025, the council began receiving noise and disturbance complaints. On March 14, 2026, an Anti-Social Behaviour and Statutory Nuisance Officer visited and assessed the noise from a nearby property, concluding it was loud enough to cause a nuisance. During the same visit, the venue was found to have breached 11 conditions on its licence.
During the hearing, an anonymous resident expressed support for local businesses but not at the expense of residents' peace and wellbeing. She said: "I have never experienced anything like this in my life. I have lived here for 16 years. Our road was peaceful for 16 years and now it is like a football stadium every single Saturday and Sunday evening." She questioned how the venue could be considered a bar and restaurant, comparing it to a nightclub.
Shaun Rodway, a police licensing officer working with Lewisham Council, described the breach of 11 licensing conditions as "shocking." He said: "It's particularly worrying that the venue hasn't shown any consideration to the conditions on the premises licence, which are put in place to help uphold the licensing objectives."
Another resident reported that on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, "very loud, bassy music" plays from 10pm to as late as 5am, affecting mental and physical wellbeing. He said: "It's very hard to get to sleep with music coming through the floorboards. The bass means earplugs offer limited relief as the vibrations carry through our mattresses."
The venue's legal representative stated: "The issues arise from a failure of management control, particularly in relation to the operation of sound equipment. They have a sound engineer coming in to recalibrate the sound limiter, and we are putting in for a noise abatement control to measure the sound." He added that if residents allow measurement upstairs, the limiter should control sound emissions.
In closing statements, a resident said: "We just want to have peace and the ability to sleep at night peacefully, not disturbed or anxious as we lead up to the weekend." The legal representative said the Premises Licence Holder was taking appropriate steps and hoped residents and the committee would give them the opportunity to run their business in a "neighbourly way."
The committee decided to amend the terminal hour from Sunday to Thursday to midnight, and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. Licensable activities for the basement will end at 11:30pm Sunday through Thursday, and at 12:30am on Fridays and Saturdays.
