Club noise

Press, 10 July 1987, Page 16

Club noise

Sir, —On Saturday night I and a group of friends went to the Palladium night-club. We are not regular night-clubbers, being in the 30-40 year age group, but enjoy the atmosphere and the lights and the band. However, my Husband would not go as the

previous time we went he was deaf for two days afterwards. I went, remembering only a ringing in the ears. This time, unfortunately, I had to block my ears when the drummer was drumming. The noise level was so high that you could not hear what anyone was saying. My ears rang when I got home and my hearing was very muffled for a day and is still not back to normal three days later. I am not going back again, but what about the young regular clientele and the staff who may be permanently damaging their hearing? My daughters certainly will not be allowed there if the present noise level is maintained.—Yours, etc., MICHELLE PARKES. June 24, 1987.

(The manager of the Palladium Niteclub, Mr J. D. S. Pasley, replies: “At the time mentioned by your correspondent we had recently engaged a new sound technician and we acknowledge that at times the sound was allowed to reach a level which would be unacceptable to some people. We are also aware that one particular part of the drummer’s equipment was causing problems. We believe that we have overcome any temporary problems with sound and that it is now kept at acceptable levels which certainly do not cause any damage to hearing. It must be realised however, that it is an integral part of the environment and atmosphere to have music played at a relatively high level, which a small minority of people will always find unacceptable.”]