A Struggle for Peace in a Quiet Welsh Village
Residents of Halkyn, a small village in North Wales with a population of less than 3,000, are facing an ongoing battle against noise and disruption caused by stag and hen parties. The issue centers around a £1.6m former school house that has been converted into a luxury Airbnb. Locals claim their peaceful weekends are being ruined by loud music, partying, and the use of an outdoor hot tub at all hours.
The 19th-century property, known as Old School Manor, was transformed into a holiday let after two years of renovations. It boasts eight ensuite bedrooms, a casino, cinema room, pool table, cocktail bar, and a powerful sound system. The grade II listed building also features an outdoor hot tub, sauna, BBQ, and fire pit in the garden. It is marketed as the perfect setting for hen parties, birthdays, and bachelorette getaways.
However, the transformation has not been welcomed by everyone. Guy Roberts, a local resident who lives next door to the property with his wife and elderly father, says the noise from the parties has shattered their rural idyll. “It’s simply not a suitable use for a property in this village,” he said. “The music is often on late at night and the flashing lights are like Blackpool Illuminations.”
Roberts claims that guests party with loud music and disco lights into the early hours, which has left him and his neighbors at their wit’s end. “People come for parties at the weekend, rather than peaceful week-long holidays,” he added. “There’s nothing to do around here, so people are drinking, shouting and doing whatever else all day and night.”
He recounted an incident where people were seen in the hot tub at 6:30 am, having partied all night. Another resident reported seeing guests dancing on graves in the churchyard in the middle of the night. Roberts said they have reported the noise to environmental health officers at Flintshire County Council, who agreed to set up noise abatement equipment to monitor the situation.
“We have reported it to the police but they can’t do anything,” he said. “Flintshire County Council have set up equipment to monitor the noise but it is driving us crazy.” He added that the property was initially advertised as a place for disabled children, not a nightclub. “If we had known it was going to be blatantly advertised as a party house we would have objected.”
According to the rental listing, the six-star property, which sleeps 24, has been “designed with celebrations in mind.” The blurb adds: “A glittering mirror ball, vibrant disco lights, and a powerful integrated sound system set the scene for unforgettable nights of music and laughter. With plenty of space to dance the night away, you’ll make memories to last a lifetime in a place designed just for you and your guests.”
Despite these claims, the property has become a source of frustration for locals. The owners, Halkyn Estates Limited, run by Manchester businessman David Salzman, insist they have listened to residents and imposed an 11pm music curfew by installing a cut-off device on the property’s music system. However, Roberts claims that guests are flouting the rules. “Last weekend the music was going until 12.40am on the Friday and 1.10am on the Saturday.”
Local councillor Fran Lister agrees that the house is causing upset. “It’s clearly very distressing,” she said. “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 they are feeling this impact.”
Old School Manor, built in 1849 by the Duke of Westminster, started life as two separate boys’ and girls’ schools before being sold to the Diocese of St Asaph in 1912. It closed as a school in 1953 and was later converted for commercial use in the 1980s, housing a wood working factory and then a knitting factory before being sold to the current owners.
A spokesman for Halkyn Estates said they want to work with residents to find a solution. “Ultimately we want the tourism we bring to Halkyn to enhance the area,” the spokesman said. “This was a grade II listed building that was falling into disrepair. We spent £1.6 million to buy the building and refurbish it – preserving it for the community. We even included original artefacts, furniture and school photos in the interior.”
They added that they have done everything by the book and appreciate the issues around noise, which is why they installed a shut-off system. “Guests are advised to be considerate of our neighbours and to ensure noise is kept down during unsocial hours. Between being a school and a holiday let the site was a factory and still had planning classification as one. That would have created a lot more noise.”
The spokesman concluded: “We understand that our neighbours have concerns and we would welcome the opportunity to work with them to find a solution that suits everybody.”
