Noise from late night drinking establishments in the City is regular cause of complains by both residents and visitors.
This noise nuisance derives from 3 main sources
1. People entering and leaving premises
2. People standing around outside premises
3. Music blaring from premises
People entering and leaving cause noise because:
• They are often in a noisy and boisterous mood and door staff do little to make them be quite
• The constant opening and shutting of the door lets the sound of music inside the building out onto the street and not infrequently on busy nights doors have been propped open; often in breach of licensing conditions
People stand around outside premises:
• To smoke
• To chat away from the noise inside the premises
• To get fresh air
• Because the have been refused entry or made to queue for entry
Door staffs rarely act to make these crowds of people behave and sometimes even add to the noise themselves. Police rarely intervene in these situations unless there is violence and sometimes not even then.
Music blares from premises:
• Because the music is too loud
• Because the type of music has being played has a heavy base line which transmits through and is amplified by the structure
• Because the doors are not kept shut
Most licensed premises have noise limiters fitted by environmental protection but walking the streets of Bath in the early hours provides evidence that limiters are ineffective. However, there is rarely anyone from the enforcement authorities out on the streets collecting this evidence.
TARA believes there is a need for the enforcement agencies to be much more proactive in all these areas to impact the noise issues associated nightclubs and late licensed bars.