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Labour councillors Richard Greening (centre) and Theresa Debono (far right) with protesters |
Massive curtain to dull sound of Springsteen’s stadium rock
Concert objectors doubt whether £10,000 anti-noise measure will work
A HUGE curtain hundreds of feet wide will be draped from the roof of the Emirates Stadium to stop noise escaping during two Bruce Springsteen concerts.
The acoustic curtain, which will cost Arsenal in the region of £10,000, is part of a package of measures introduced to calm residents’ fears about din from the concerts approved by an Islington Council licensing committee on Wednesday.
Dozens of residents turned up at the Town Hall hearing to object to the concerts, the first at the new stadium in Ashburton Grove.
Arsenal fielded their top management team for the four-hour hearing, including director Ken Friar and managing director Keith Edelman. They were represented by barrister Sir Richard Beckett.
The committee took more than an hour to reach their decision. Permission for a third live concert was refused until the impact of the Springsteen events has been analysed.
Arsenal will have to set up a noise complaint line, manned throughout the concerts, and make residents aware of it.
Sound experts for Arsenal maintained that, while noise levels inside the stadium would be up to 98 decibels during the concerts, outside they would be as low as 75 decibels.
Residents felt afterwards that a compromise had been made but were not convinced the anti-noise measures will work.
Dr Gill Shepherd, an anthropologist from Highbury Hill who represented Highbury Community Association, was concerned that sound checks during the day could disturb children in nearby schools.
“We know when they were testing sound back in November the noise was unbearable,” she said. “I believe 75 decibels is too high.”
Another resident, BBC news producer Dan McMillan, a former professional sound engineer, said he had worked on Springsteen concerts in 1988.
He added: “The proposed anti-sound curtain will take some construction. But will it work? I’m still worried about the stadium’s acoustics.
“The stadium is unique in that it has a flat metallic roof but the walls don’t join. In my opinion the sound will get bounced off the roof into the surrounding neighbourhood.”
Arsenal’s sound expert Jim Griffith said the club is still looking at designs for the acoustics curtain. It will be hung at the North End of the stand for the concerts on Friday and Saturday, May 30 and 31.
He added: “We are looking at using a thick material with special sound insulation. It will be attached to the roof and winched up in much the same way as a theatre safety curtain.”
The council granted permission for up to 12 community events to be held each year at the stadium podium – a raised area outside the ground – subject to permission from the council for each event, and for alcohol to be sold from kiosks on other event days, in designated areas.Mr Friar said he felt he had got a fair hearing. “The questions were all very constructive,” he said.
“It gives us the opportunity to have the two concerts and prove we can do it.
“We will meet up with residents after the concerts when we will have the light of experience.” |
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