EXCESSIVE noise and drunken behaviour from young music fans has prompted neighbours of a recording studio in Watford to complain to Watford Borough Council.

Sanctuary Studios moved to Fisher's Industrial Estate off Wiggenhall Road last year and since then, bands from the Watford area have used the facilities there to rehearse and record music.

Sanctuary also often hosts live music nights on a Friday and Saturday and it is these that many nearby residents are not happy with.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said: "While Sanctuary Studios is a useful facility in the centre of Watford, providing a creative space for young musicians to rehearse, there is a problem with the live gigs they put on at the weekends which generate a staggering amount of noise and anti-social behaviour.

"Typically on one of these nights, from about 8pm onwards the surrounding streets reverberate to the sounds of young teenagers drunkenly shouting and arguing, it goes on until well past midnight.

"They seem to spend as much time outside the studios as in and, as Fisher's Industrial Estate is adjacent to residential streets, this is quite a nuisance."

Dave Channel from Camel One, an indie fourpiece from Watford currently making waves on the London music scene, could understand the grievances of the unnamed resident, saying that all-age nights often result in "14 and 15-year-olds running about out of control".

But Dave said that whenever he and his band have played gigs at Sanctuary Studios there have been no signs of bad behaviour, although he has heard stories of there being problems.

Dave said that it is a great venue to play because it is so different to most other places the band perform in.

He added that although the crowd can be quite boisterous, he has never seen any drunken antics: "It's always a great place to play.

"It's quite easy to fill and there's a good atmosphere there."

Alan Gough, head of environmental services at Watford Borough Council, said: "Sanctuary Studios is a private recording studio which does not serve alcohol and as such they do not require any licence from the council.

"A licensing enforcement officer has already visited the site and advised that should the studios wish to start serving alcohol they would require a premises licence."

The Watford Observer understands that Sanctuary Studios bypasses the need for an alcohol license by making its live music nights private parties.

Alcohol is thus not sold on the premises but included in the price of the admission ticket for the party (normally £10), often in an "all you can drink" arrangement.

No representative from Sanctuary Studios or Bill Fisher, managing director of Fisher's Industrial Estate, were willing to comment when contacted by the Watford Observer, although an employee of Sanctuary Studios said that the claims made by residents were "malicious" and aimed at besmirching its good reputation.