A SYDENHAM man left raving mad by the noise from a pub garden has been driving out the punters - by blasting them with high volume dance music.

Neighbour James Pimenta has been unleashing a sonic assault on drinkers at the Railway Tavern by pumping out banging beats and booming basslines from Kiss FM on his soundsystem.

Pub regulars and staff insist the aural attacks - which send drinkers running back inside - are "silly" and an over reaction, but the complaints have been enough to trigger a licensing review, is due to be heard tonight (Oct 29).

Mr Pimenta, 43, said: "It's so terribly bad it's almost intolerable. I get headaches, migraines - I can't watch my TV because of the background noise.
"It happens every single day."

He said: "I just use the music to get them out so I can have some peace and quiet and live in my home.

"I've seen people walk out the garden in disgust. Over the years less and less people are going in there as a result."

The freelance removal man, who has lived at the Southend Lane property for seven years, said the pub was breaking its licence conditions and should now do something to show they cared about the distress he was being caused.

Mr Pimenta, who admits his actions are not a long-term solution now his own neighbours are starting to complain, said: "When I first moved in, the pub garden was not full time so that was ok.

"Now it's open full-time and it's become very distressing for me.

"I understand it's much-loved by them. My first choice for this would be to bring everything back to how it was."

But regulars at the boozer do not feel the same way and have sent letters of support for their pub to Lewisham Council ahead of its licensing committee hearing.

One wheelchair user, Laurence Wood, even accused Mr Pimenta of throwing missiles on one occasion and making children "run for cover".

He wrote: "We respect our neighbourhood, not loud music making stone throwers like him."

Landlord Yener Karahan said: "If there are a couple of people sitting in the back garden he goes nuts and he puts music on.

"People go there and just read a newspaper. There's no music nothing. He ruins our barbecues."

He added: "He just puts on anything silly. Because he puts it on really high, I've even called the police because my daughter was sleeping.

"When I asked him to turn it down, he wouldn't. He put it up more."

He went on: "I'm shocked and surprised by this.

"I've been here 13 years and there's been no compliants and I've never called the police."