Jason Hardy has spoken out after Birstall folk complained Jardy’s was keeping them awake at night.

Local man David Wilkinson said at Birstall Central Tenants and Residents’ Association (TRA) meeting that Jardy’s in Low Lane was playing loud music at the weekends, and guests were parking outside his Carr Street flat.

But Mr Hardy said he was upset nobody had come to him to complain.

He said: “It’s like I’m fighting ghosts. I wish people would come and speak to me as it’s a bit unfair to not allow me to answer them, but I know people are complaining, and I am not going to ignore that.

“I don’t want to upset anybody.”

Mr Hardy, who opened Jardy’s as a snooker club nearly three years ago, said there was more noise outside the bar since the smoking ban came into force last year.

He said: “I can’t really do much about that, but I am planning with health and safety to stop people going outside past 10pm.

“They are allowed in the smoking shelter, but they will not be allowed drinks out there, which will stop people stopping to talk outside. That will allow us to control it a bit more.”

Mr Hardy said he did tell people not to park outside the nearby flats, and blamed the parking problems on the lack of spaces in the village while regeneration work is being carried out.

He said: “I agree you shouldn’t block people in, but we’re seeing it day in day out. There are just no spaces available, and that’s a problem which is out of my hands.”