Debate

Noise nuisance?

“British pubs are noisy places – let’s keep them that way,” says Matthew Fort in The Times. However, one pub, the Compton Arms in North London, is being threatened with closure due to “noise pollution”. Are neighbours right to complain?

If they’ve lived next to the pub and the style of the pub has changed, then, yes! Although you would hope that the publican talked to local residents about their plans.

If they’ve moved next to the pub and the style of the place hasn’t changed, then absolutely not!

I’m not a big fan of them as I generally go to a pub for conversation.

However, there is a place for them in our community whether it be as a music venue or a sports pub.

Tony Wells

Frankly, I think pubs should be able to complain about neighbours who move in and threaten their existence.

Pubs are community hubs that create noise. As long as that noise is within the law, then any new neighbours need to accept that as part of buying a property there.

Imagine moving next to an airport and complaining about the noise from the planes. Ash Corbett-Collins

Isn’t noise a subjective thing? Someone can cope with noise if it is a type of music they enjoy, but not a style they loathe.

I don’t mind drinking in a noisy pub so long as the beer is in good condition, although it can be difficult sometimes to communicate with the bar staff when ordering drinks and the like. Andrew Day

I am a retired environmental health officer, so often had to deal with complaints like this. If the complainant has moved into the area where the noisy activity has been happening without complaint in the past (church bells, chiming clocks, cockerels, nightclubs, motor sports), then apart from making conciliatory comments, no action should be taken other than to bring it to the attention of those making the noise.

Stephen Collingwood

Keep the volume down?

I much prefer a quiet pub to a noisy one. But then I am a solitary, miserable sod.

Basic rule of thumb is I don’t want to shout or raise my voice to make myself heard. Some micropubs I have been in have terrible noise issues mainly because the walls are bare brick, and the sound reflects badly off them, so it raises the noise level and then everyone else has to speak louder again, which just exacerbates the problem. John Norris

I hate super-noisy places. I like a bit of background music (just chatter makes me anxious for some reason) and for people to not shout and bawl! Once one person starts shouting, then someone else does and it’s a screaming match all over the pub! Gillian Harrison

I have slightly iffy hearing, so if I’m socialising with family and friends, I’ll prefer a quiet pub. However, some pubs are designed to be noisy – they host discos, karaoke and live music – and when I’m out to take part in those activities (normally the latter), I’m all in favour of them.

As for those who move in next to existing pubs, I believe the law should protect existing long-standing activities from complaints by those who have chosen to move close to them.

John O’Donnell

Compton faces licence review following neighbours’ complaints