Cricket club banned from playing live music
4:00pm Sunday 3rd February 2013 in Latest News
Trowbridge Cricket Club has been stumped after it was banned by Wiltshire Council from playing live music at its pavilion.
It had the right to host live and recorded amplified music removed from its premises licence during a Western Area Licensing Sub Committee meeting held in Monkton Park, Chippenham.
The meeting was called after Tracy Gates, of Downhayes Road, complained to the council that the music playing from the club at evening functions was too loud. The meeting heard the club had held music events where equipment hadn’t been plugged into a traffic light limiter device, which monitors decibels levels, installed as a condition of its licence.
“My children and I are often disturbed, woken or prevented from going to sleep by the sound of the music coming from the cricket pavilion,” said Mrs Gates, who had recording equipment installed in her home by the council.
“We have even contemplated moving house and uprooting our family to avoid the continuing problem. My partner is so unhappy he wants to do this, but I don’t feel we should have to.”
During the proceedings, Colin Poplett, vice president of Trowbridge Cricket Club, said the club had surveyed around 50 surrounding houses, in Downhayes Road, Lower Court, Islington and Seymour Road, and had not received any complaints about loud music.
“We asked them if they did or did not agree with us playing music. Not one of them complained and they are nearer than the complainant,” he said. “For one family to say we are not having it is unacceptable.”
After the decision has been confirmed in writing, Trowbridge Cricket Club will have 21 days to appeal.
Comments(11)
moonrakin wurzel
says...
1:51am Mon 4 Feb 13
The club has been having evening events for erm... how long?
How long has Ms. Gates been there?
I recall a man buying a house next door to The Old Bear in Staverton and then complaining regularly to the council about the sound of car doors closing at 11:15 pm....
Who exactly is being protected from what here?
I could throw the obvious insults at Tracey, but the responses of the neighbors speak volumes for what she's about. Why do the council persist in indulging squeaking wheels?
beetawix
says...
11:43am Mon 4 Feb 13
I have no connection with the club, but have to say I wonder why this raises its head at the same time as another issue is under discussion about rented land reported recently by WT.
Christof99
says...
6:35pm Mon 4 Feb 13
With only one complaint, it seems stupid and pathetic that the council would go to such lengths at the disposal of a club that is a centre of the community.
Mrs Gates and her family need to get a grip in my eyes.
Am sure the events help keep the club running, without it the youth cricketers won't have anywhere to play.
May I suggest mob mentality and setup a wicket outside Mrs Gates house.
Give her something to really complain about.
I wouldn't put it past me to say she is a stuck up moody mare that complains about everything going.
The Trowbridge Cricket Club has been there for x amount of years. I assume she hasn't been there as long.
How come Mrs Gates is worse off with the noise compared to the immediate neighbours?
Am glad she has been named and shamed in this article, over this pathetic complaint.
1984
says...
3:23pm Tue 5 Feb 13
notscot
says...
6:37am Wed 6 Feb 13
But I do wonder about people. The ONE complaint from Sadlers Mead - insisting that the now defunct bi-annual music show wasn't to her taste and should be stopped. One weekend in 2 years?!!
The constant complaints about noise made by children in a park that houses overlook. A park that was there when or before the houses were built.
The complaints re noise/light pollution caused by the ind. est. that was operating for 10 years prior to the arrival of the housing est..
The complaints re noise pollution from the weekend residents of the coastal fishing village - the noise of the sailors, vehicles, fishing boats and gulls was unacceptable.
Some daft people out there.
randoff
says...
10:08pm Wed 6 Feb 13
Dummer_Frauenfahrer
says...
11:19am Thu 7 Feb 13
merulius
says...
11:53am Thu 7 Feb 13
Wiltshire Times at its finest - leaving out the really important facts.
Every night until midnight, it's a problem. Saturday night until 23:00, it's not a problem.
A bit more data please!
sonnycher
says...
6:15pm Thu 7 Feb 13
thegashead
says...
7:29pm Fri 8 Feb 13
It certainly is not surprising that Mrs Gates' partner is a member of Wiltshire Council and a close friend of the people in charge of dealing with these complaints. Originally this complaint was in his name, they have now changed it, possibly to try and attempt to make this complaint and its process appear more legitimate? When you realize that this complaint has been dealt with very differently to other complaints against music from pubs, such as in the Dursley Arms, your mind does start to wonder...
I would also like to point out that Mrs Gates sleeps with her window open regularly, rendering the complaint moot as she has not taken sufficient steps to quell the noise on her end.
The Cricket Club has been very helpful in trying to solve this problem, not only sending out letters about the noise but also hosting several council members to monitor the noise, and not having anything to report on.
Very sad that such an integral part of the community may have to close, because of one persons comment
Mrs Donnyfly says...
4:07pm Sun 3 Feb 13