THEATRE NOISE
Theatre noise is usually an open-and-shut case. If their windows are open, certain classes can be noisy, if they are shut, it is not. The solution is for them to shut their windows. The other problem is audiences leaving noisily (which can be solved by the theatre posting signs to tell the audience to leave quietly). Where there are several residents being bothered with the noise, the Tenants and Residents Association should make the complaint (set up a noise committee if the Co-Chairs don't have time to consider the problem). Everyone involved should keep a noise log.

The key to successfully changing the situation is keeping a complete noise log (listing everyone's complaints).

how to compile a noise log

TABLE 1 Sexual Harrassment or Complaint about Noise?

Don't wait, as we did, hoping the theatre would adjust the situation. Make a formal complaint to the theatre, explaining the problem, and informing them you will be keeping a noise log. Wait a month to see if the situation is better (and keep a noise log, complaining to the theatre, whenever you feel the noise is excessive). It takes a week or two to re-train staff, but if the situation isn't better in a month's time, it isn't going to get any better. Make a formal complaint about the theatre to the following people: the Theatre 's Board of Directors, the District Housing Manager, the Volunteer Grants Sector Chair, Environmental Health, and the Camden Noise Enforcement Panel, and include the noise log to date. If you don't complain to everyone, they can all ignore the problem, thinking someone else is dealing with it.

FIRST LETTER OF COMPLAINT: TO the Theatre. State the problem and inform them you will be keeping a noise log and complaining to the District Housing Manager if the situation doesn't improve.

ONE MONTH LATER, IF THINGS HAVEN'T IMPROVED: Repeat your complaint, sending a copy to all the people concerned, with the noise log.

TWO MONTHS LATER, IF THINGS HAVEN'T IMPROVED: Repeat your complaint, complaining to everyone as asking what is to be done. Include a noise log to date. Visit a councillor who is interested in noise problems, and explain the situation to them as well (bring copies of your noise logs).

THREE MONTHS LATER, IF THINGS HAVEN't IMPROVED: Repeat your complaint, complaining to everyone and asking what is to be done. Include a noise log to date. By this time, with three months data, the pattern of noise will be apparent to everyone. Send a letter to the Editor of the Camden New Journal as well  (and consider sending a letter to The Stage).

Letter to the Editor,
Camden New Journal

27.02.2003 (page 13)

Chenies Street Chambers 'Sexual Harassment or Noise?' Table 29.09.2002

Chenies Street Chambers Drill Hall Theatre Noise Study
29.09.2002

TABLE ONE:

A Guide For Environmental Health Teams, Area Managers, District Housing Managers ,
Assistant Directors and Community Centres and Theatres

How to Determine If A Telephone or Personal Complaint is About Excessive Noise
or if it is Sexual, Racial, Cultural or Religious Harrassment.

(In all cases, the nature of the complaint is determined by the noun.)

*In this instance, close the windows completely, immediately.
If the complaint is about noise, you will find that the
people who were complaining will stop complaining.

how to compile a noise log

NOISE IS NOISE :
EXCESSIVE NOISE FROM COMMUNITY CENTRES, CHURCHS, BUILDING SITES,  NEIGHBOURS

If people in your building complain about noise and you don't find the noise levels too high, don't just think they're sad gits who should get a life (at least not until the noise level has been monitored in their flat). Hard surfaces  in cities such as brick buildings and asphalt or concreted courtards make noise resonate, so that even a  quiet conversation in the Garden can be heard at a certain level of flats (generally at 2d or 3d story, for 4 story brick buildings) at a volume level four times the level it is down in the garden. If you want to Beethoven's Fifth or Minnie Ripperton's Torn Between Two Lovers, loud, the way music should be played, the noise level amplifies so that those people affected often can't hear their television at a normal level in their own flat, with the windows closed.

This makes the people affected angry, particularly if everyone  else is down in the Garden, saying they are sad gits. Don't be tempted to placate the people affected, by making rules about no one being in the garden, or no one using the community theatre at all ever.  Make rules that can't be enforced will undermine the rules people have agreed to accept. Most people will agree to an evening curfew for a communal space, if it's reasonable. They have to agree, however, and it isn't enforcable. The simple truth is that from 8 in the morning until 8 in the evening, people can do what they like. It is unlikely that the Police will come out to investigate a noise complaint before 10 pm on a week night, and very hard to get them out before 11 on weekends. It's not pleasant for the people who are affected, but that's that.

There are long term things that can be done. If it is proven by a noise monitor (from the Environmental Health Team) that the noise levels are excessive, then there may be grants for double-glazing and air-conditioning (there is no point having one without the other - noise tends to be seasonal, and double glazed windows only act as sound-proofing if they are closed completely) . You might consider grants to have climbing plants and perrenials cover the hard surfaces of the garden or courtard to dampen the noise. The asphalt should be covered with turf or replaced with acoustic insulating tiles. If the noise is in the corridors, acoustic-dampening tiles may be put on the ceiling, or carpet recommended for the floor. If the proplem is with another neighbour (usually  above, and who usually has a wooden floor) ask them to  take off their shoes at the door, and put things like stereo-speakers up off the floor (putting them on a cork placemat helps, if their speakers are too loud).

In all matters of noise disputes, try to be nonconfrontational, but be firm. If you are suffering from excessive noise, it is the noisy person or Centre who has the problem, not your. They can be evicted if it persists. You can not (so long as you do nothing that involves physical violence or verbal abuse).

SUGGESTIONS:

STAGE ONE:  DAY 1. explain the situation to the people involved, in the nicest possible way. Taking a little metal work music box and a wooden cutting board is a good way to demonstrate how noise resonates.  The musicbox is tinny, until it is place on the wood, which will make it shound much, much louder. If it is a neighbour, try to have them come to your flat, and hear how other people in their flat sound to you (you might go up to their flat and do the same; if you hear them, it may be that they hear you, but are too polite to complain). Exchange phone numbers, so if you have to complain, you don't have to go outside your door to do it. Invite them to do the same.

STAGE TWO:  DAY 7. If the problem still persists, explain the situation in different terms; if they didn't understand the first time, it may just be you haven't explained it properly.

STAGE THREE:  DAY 14.   If the problem still persists, write a letter of complaint to your Environmental Health Team at Camden Council, and send a copy of the letter to your TRA and give a copy to the people or Centre who are causing the problem, saying you are now going to be keeping a log of the incidents of noise nuisance. The Noise Health Team will advice you to keep a log of your complaints. Go out and buy yourself a little bound book (A5 size, so you can keep it by the telephone).

On the inside  front cover, write:

for a copy  of this log to print off, please click here:

Now just start to fill in the book. If you are polite and patient, you can solve this problem very quickly, if you don't keep accurate records, the problem could go on for years. Keep the diary for three weeks to establish the noise pattern.

STAGE THREE. DAY 35. If the problem persists, have a chat with either your TRA Chair, or the Noise Environmental Team Officer assigned to your case. If the noise has not stopped, even though everyone is aware you have a problem with noise, and the noise log supports your contention that things are being done on a regular, rather than an ocassional basis, it will now be the stage to have a noise monitoring done by the Environmental Health Team. Ask them to arrange it at a time which is suitable for you which they consider it is most likely the noise will occur. Don't let them put it off. Unless you have the noise monitoring done, you can not establish whether the levels are excessive or not. Inform your TRA.

STAGE FOUR: If the noise levels are excessive and they are being caused willfully, the offenders could be evicted and the Environmental Health Team will take things further. If it isn't their fault, the Environmental  Health Team will suggest some other solutions.

Most noise problems are solved at Stage One or Stage Two. If the problem persists, please don't suffer in silence: tell your TRA, tell the Enviromental Noise Team at Camden Council, tell your Caretaker, tell your neighbours (unless you're the sort of person who is complaining about noise when somebody's baby is crying - then you're a sad git, and nobody will have very much sympathy for you).

STAGE FIVE: [IF THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. FIVE MONTH UPDATE] Write to your local newspaper about the problem. Submit your evidence to a Noise Panel for your local council (or to your local councillor) and ask that the Theatre be made a case study. Complain to everyone you've complained to before, again.