An intimate music venue could reopen more than eighteen months after it closed over noise issues. Pub firm InnBrighton have applied to Brighton and Hove City Council for the entertainment licence for the Freebutt.

The popular music venue closed in September 2010 following a long-running dispute between the venue’s owners, Brighton and Hove City Council and a neighbour in Phoenix Place, Brighton over the level of noise from the venue.

Entertainment firm Joiners Southampton had leased the property since 2007 but the property has now returned to InnBrighton.

InnBrighton had previously owned the site for five years under the name of Zelgrain Ltd before Joiners. The firm was formed in 2007 through the merger of C-Side and Zelgrain and operates 45 pubs, bars and night-clubs in Brighton.

Among the firm’s portfolio are several music venues including The Hope in Queens Road, Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar in Middle Street and Coalition in Kings Road Arches.

The firm issued a licence application with Brighton and Hove City Council at the end of last month.

Gavin George, chief executive of InnBrighton, said: “We ran it as a music venue previously and it was a good music venue and we’ll certainly consider reopening it as a music venue.

“I can’t say at the moment when it will reopen. We will look into all the issues of the previous owners.

“The venue may well need alterations and we are very keen to comply with any noise regulations.”

Alex Murray, part of the former management team, said he would love to see the venue brought back to life. He said: “I think it’s an amazing venue and I would love to see it return.

“The issue we had was not so much volume but with frequency and the owners will have to spend a bit of money finding out at what frequency level it is bleeding through.”