PLANS to allow every pub in Oxford to stage live music or club nights are to be fought by officials and residents.

Under new rules proposed by the Government, only gigs the size of Elton John’s sell-out performance at the Kassam Stadium in 2006 would require permission.

Any premises with less than a 5,000 capacity will not need permission from Oxford City Council to stage live bands, film screenings, or nightclub events.

The plans have prompted fears of increased noise complaints across the city, with opponents warning action could only be taken against pubs once they had caused a nuisance.

Jericho and Osney councillor Colin Cook described the plans as “barking mad”. He added: “Potentially it is a free-for-all and down to poor individual local residents to go through the laborious processes of gathering evidence and taking up environmental protection officers’ time.”

And, reviewing the plans, Carfax councillor Tony Brett added: “Red tape for its own sake is never good, so if this allows churches and schoolsl continued from P1 to put on what they want, that will help.

“But in a city like Oxford where there are a lot of pubs and entertainment, the council needs to be able to make sure that people can lead their lives without nightly disturbance.”

He added: “We cannot let things run riot.”

More than 400 pubs, clubs and venues across Oxford hold licences for regulated entertainment. Only one, the Kassam, holds more than 5,000 people.

The Government argues the changes will support musicians, help pubs thrive, and prevent community groups and schools falling foul of licensing laws.

Its consultation claims noise problems from entertainment venues are “fairly infrequent”, adding: “Despite the size of the events we are proposing to deregulate, we believe it is unlikely that deregulation will give rise to greatly increased complaints or disturbance.”

But Oxford City Council licensing manager Tony Payne said: “We are not just talking about community centres or school halls putting on a Christmas play.

“We could have new nightclubs opened up.

“They will still need planning permission and an alcohol licence, but you could have a pub which has not got an entertainment licence deciding to put on those sort of events.”

Currently, licensing officers consult with the police and environmental protection teams before licensing entertainment.

The council can force venues to close doors and widows, fit double glazing or install noise limiters to protect neighbours from disturbance.

Mr Payne said he was “doubtful” whether the council would still be able to insist on these if the changes went ahead. “We think they will be unenforceable conditions,” he said.

Ministers argue local authorities will still be able to impose certain conditions on premises serving alcohol.

Mr Payne said the changes would mean action could only be taken against pubs once they had caused a statutory nuisance.

The proposals come as the city council is planning to reduce its noise complaints service, no longer responding to 1,100 noise complaint calls where there is no statutory nuisance nor a neighbourhood-wide impact.

Philip Guy Davis, who runs The Famous Monday Blues night at The Bullingdon Arms in Cowley Road, said: “A lot of pubs are suffering and gigs are getting falling audiences because of the state of the nation.

“This will probably help.

“Noise is a big issue, but if you buy a house next to a pub, it’s wrong if you then complain about the noise.”

But Upper Fisher Row resident James Young, 58, said: “You don’t want to stop the local folk group or jazz bands, but when it is thumping techno music at 2am, the idea it could be free for anyone to play anything is totally mad.”

The Government estimates the changes will cost councils £5.17m to deal with new noise complaints and review premises licences, but the boom in live events would generate £43m for the economy.

Sexual entertainment and live boxing and wrestling would be excluded from the changes.

The city council has vowed to officially oppose the changes, which will be compulsory if passed by the Government after the consultation ends in December.

* To have your say on the proposals, visit culture.gov.uk