Forum Topic

Disturbed By The South West Four Festival?

Did anyone else feel that the noise from the South West Four festival yesterday on Clapham Common was excessive? I don't live that close to it so it must have been nightmarish for people nearby and I hate to think what it was doing to the hearing of those attending. I'm definitely not against these festivals in principle and, as far as I am aware, the event stuck to the rules in terms of decibels allowed and hours of operation. The problem is that the allowable noise is too high for urban areas and the law needs to be change.

Barry Elms ● 2448d1 Comments

I didn't hear the noise from the event but am to distant from it to have been affected. However, there is a serious concern about the rise of these urban festivals. Councils are under huge pressure to make parks and open spaces self-funding and this is a quick and easy way to increase revenue for them. These festivals are also popular with parents who don't want their younger teens going to festivals where they will stay on their own overnight. We are going to get more of them so they will be a fact of life. Can you imagine the stink there will be if one is held on Putney Common?! It is probably pointless trying to push back the tide but Councils need to think about tighter guidelines for these events including noise levels and allowed number of people. As far as I am aware the decibel ceiling for a festival in farmer's field in the countryside is the same as that for one of these urban festivals where the noise will cause disturbance to tens of thousands of people.

Gordon Southwell ● 2437d