Neighbours' anger over £1.6m holiday home where music is 'on all day'

Neighbours of a £1.6m luxury holiday retreat say their village's peaceful atmosphere has been disturbed by noise so loud a deaf man is "bothered by it".

The Grade II listed Old Church School, in Halkyn, Flintshire, was opened to guests in October 2025, and features a hot tub and room for up to 24 people at a time.

Owners Halkyn Estates Ltd said they have been responding to residents' complaints, adding that the building was falling into disrepair before their refurbishments took place.

But Guy Roberts, who lives with his wife and elderly father nearby, said the loud music and lights operate into the early hours of the morning, and that the property is "not suitable" for the village.

Roberts said he has lived at the property for 46 years and stressed the need for a good sleep due to his job as a truck driver and the fact that his wife is self-employed.

"This has changed the character of the place," he said.

"The noise is so bad my dad, who is deaf, is bothered by it."

Roberts said the landlord had agreed to to cut off the sound system at 23:00 BST.

But this has not stopped people from bringing portable speakers to the property which means the music is "often on all day", according to Roberts.

"They are out in the hot tub at all hours of the day and night, and we can't seem to get anywhere.

"We are not even in peak season yet so goodness knows what it will be like then," he said.

Roberts said he has reported the issue to the police and Flintshire council, who had responded by setting up equipment to monitor the noise.

Councillor Fran Lister said it was "clearly very distressing" for residents living nearby.

"I remember when this went through planning as a holiday let and we had no objections, as long as it's not too noisy for the neighbours.

"It's not fair that the neighbours are feeling this impact," she said.

The building dates from mid-19th Century and closed as a school more than 70 years ago.

A spokesperson for Halkyn Estates said it had been trying to find solutions and had even preserved some of the original features of the building when it was renovated.

"We spent £1.6m to buy the building and refurbish it - preserving it for the community.

"We even included original artefacts, furniture and school photos from when it was a school in the interior," they said.

The spokesperson said they understood the noise issue and had installed a shut-off system for the sound.

"We have done everything by the book," they added.

Halkyn Estates said the property has already proved to be a "very popular one" in their portfolio since taking bookings last year.

It said it wanted to be part of the community and work with residents to resolve any issues.

"Guests are advised to be considerate of our neighbours and to ensure noise is kept down during unsocial hours," it added.

The company said the investment had brought Old Church School "back into use in a sustainable way".

"We understand that our neighbours have concerns and we would welcome the opportunity to work with them to find a solutions that suits everybody," it said.