DIGBETH NOISE ROW GOES OVER THE RAINBOW

05-12-2008

The threat to Digbeth’s vibrant nightlife has spread from The Spotted Dog to The Rainbow pub, which has been warned that environmental health officers are ready to pounce with their rapid response unit to clamp down on any alleged breaches of noise regulations.

Rainbow landlord Kent Davis revealed that Birmingham Council has had four complaints about his premises – one from the Abacus apartments and three from Avoca Court.

"I really can't understand how people in Avoca Court can be upset about the noise," he said.

"There must be 800 to 1,000 people living between us and them, who haven't complained, so how come they can hear it?

"If there was a cluster of maybe 15 or 20 complaints from other people I could understand it - but we could have our business affected on the say so of just one person."

Davis is particularly concerned because he’s just put in a retrospective planning application for open air music courtyard The Warehouse.

He’s hopping Stirrer readers and other Rainbow regulars will contact Birmingham’s planning department to support his case.

In the meantime, environmental health officers are ready to be scrambled on the basis of a phone call from any one of their existing complainants.

It was also revealed at a recent Digbeth Pubwatch meeting that noise tests will be carried out by the human ear, rather than scientific measuring equipment.

Davis said:  “The trouble with that is that it’s purely subjective.  It’s feels like we’ve got the Sword of Damocles hanging above us.

"There is definitely a feeling that Birmingham Council pursues noise issues more vigorously that other local authorities."

The Stirrer has campaigned vigourously to protect the nightlife of Birmingham's most interesting bar quarter - which includes the threatened Spotted Dog in Alcester Street, run by Brummie of The Year John Tighe (see link here)

Another venue threatened by the encroachment of the "city living" is The Nightingale in the Gay Village.

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