Hotel bands’ noise "a real nuisance’

Press, 1 April 1981, Page 6

Hotel bands’ noise "a real nuisance’

Noise from bands playing at the , Aranui Motor Hotel was a “real nuisance” to residents of the nearby Returned Services Association settlement, the Licensing Control-. Commission was told yesterday. Mr L. W. Hobby, a resident in. the settlement opposite the hotel on Pages Road, said that the noise from the bass drum and bass guitar in the group was excessive, and “thumped” through-his house each night thediotel was open. The commission. Judge G. Bf Tea, Mrs P. M. Thompsog andMr N. B. Wilcox, reserved its decision. - - - Mr Hobby, represented by Mr R. F- Niven, said that he was “shocked” by the volume .of 016 band when he arrived 1 at the .settlement to liyie ah' April, 1980. He had putt up heavy drapes, acoustiles, hnd double glazed h‘H& with plate glaW&but this had had no effect 0n the npise. _ .Thefb’oisfCWaS- s° bad that he.’ cduW ’ .nfesleep, even; after taking drugs prescribed to him by a doctor. _ \ Under cross-examination hv Dr E D. Wylie. appearfe D |„r Ballte . intol'i's- - Hobby ’b” proofing work done at tne Shad cut down’ the voli'i

j ume of higher frequency 1 noise, but. had done nothing to stop the low frequency ’ noise. - The manager of the settlei ment and secretary of the , Christchurch R.S.A, Mr J. ’ Green, said that there had 5 always been complaints to him by residents about the - noise from the hotel. He ' said that although s there was a lot of ngise J created by the traffic on 1 Pages Road, the residents > did not complain about it. 1 People had wandered t through the settlement, urinating ondoor steps and . throwing empty beer, bottles, - said Mr Green. Some resi- . dents had been splattered - with eggs. r “There must be something j wrong with the management -, if they let people get so full that they do these things," > he said. ■ I Mr Green said that he had ■ pleaded with hotel .manage--1 ments to *“stop destroying > our youths’ ears.” > Mr Niven said that" it would be J unreasonable to ■ prohibit any band to play at ijthe hotel, but it should I employ quieter bands. Dr Wylie said that Ballins i was "making every reason- • able effort” to reduce the • hojse, out of consideration - for the residents. He ■ said 5 that -the .35, sign; - atones organ-

' ised by Mr Hobby could ; have been aggrieved by the • behaviour of the patrOhs, rather than the noise from ■ the band. i The former manager of the hotel, Mr B. K. Ellison, I told the conlmisson that Mr i Hobby.did.have a valid .com- ■ plaint, but- that ; the company had, already spent between i $30,000 and $35,000 "trying i to reduce the noise. He said that the hotel had no control over the equipment used by the bands, as this was supplied by the bands. He had threatened to fire bands, and had fired bands for playing too loudly. He had also fired bands for not playing loud enough. Mr Ellison said that it would-be difficult to make bands play within fixed sound limits. MrR. B. Wright, the properties manager for Ballins, said that a sound shell ■ would be built at of the stage, designed to reduce tli e low < frequency sounds heard by residents. A sound meter with warning .lights showing ' bands how loud they were 'playing might also be installed. He said that Lion Breweries would take over the running of the hotel in May. and that the company would take steps to ensure that the noise of the bands was contained.