Responses to our article about the closure of Alibi in Warwick

After 11pm Warwick is dead, there isn’t anywhere to have a late drink now. It was nice to have a bit of live music, it wasn’t rowdy or anything, I don’t think there was much trouble there.

I’m disappointed there was no compromise. I understand that if it was too noisy that could be a problem, but Warwick did need it. If it is purely about noise then it’s a shame there couldn’t be a middle ground found, like just open later on a Friday or something. I don’t want to see just another coffee shop replace it. - Dominic Harrison, Hatton

It waswith a sense of sadness that I saw, two week’s ago, (and in your article in The Courier on Friday 15/07/2011), that Alibi in Warwick had closed.

It was an establishment that my wife and I had used on many occasions for coffee and meals, always enjoying the food and the ambience of the place. We did not attend the music evenings so cannot comment on the action being taken by Warwick District Council however, such enforcement action does seem to be selective against smaller businesses whilst larger companies seem to be immune to any such activity.

An example is Warwick Racecourse who rent the land from Warwick District Council for the purpose of horse racing and ancillary activities. However, they regularly hold functions that have no connection to racing, cause noise and disturbance to neighbours, but there seems to be no enforcement of the rules and planning restrictions that they are supposed to comply with. Indeed, by their own admission, they held some 80 non racing functions in 2010, a number being held into the late evening.

So, it would seem that Warwick District Council will quickly act against those smaller firms who bring business to the centre of the town, (Alibi and Art & Wine are two recent examples), but are apparently reluctant to take action against Warwick Racecourse who operate from council-owned land that they have been renting for a ‘peppercorn’ rent, (see courier article on 22/10/2010). It would be far better, and more acceptable, if the same rules could be applied to all. - Peter Kerr, Bread and Meat Close, Warwick.

I am sure the people in central Warwick are patting themselves on the back celebrating another business closing in Warwick. These are the same people no doubt that moan about the music events at the castle as well. The Alibi bar was an excellent bar offering good affordable food and diverse entertainment and it’s a real shame that it has been hounded out by narrow minded people.

You live in the middle of town there is going to be noise if you want quiet move to the country.

To the owners and staff of Alibi, I say good luck for the future and sorry that Warwick did not appreciate what you were trying to bring to the town. - Mr McCann, address supplied.