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Clubs were there first
• NOISE can be a terrible blight but countries like Australia have a different approach to licensing when it comes to noise and disturbances (Sunday night clubbers give hotel guests sleepless nights, February 1).
There, they have the “agent of change” policy. It is up to the “agent of change” to reduce or negate disruption. One of the court cases on this issue concerned a new block of very expensive apartments built in a “downtown” area (of Melbourne, I think) where there were already lots of clubs and pubs – the area was well known for this.
The residents of the new apartments then complained about late-night noise. The Australian solution is for the developer of the new apartments to pay to soundproof the clubs and pubs or the apartments as they are the “agent of change”.
They certainly cannot try to get venues closed down or restrict the clubs’ opening hours. The Travelodge hotel has been there for only a few months (residents I accept may have been there a lot longer with more legitimacy to complain). Surely, the hotel owners were aware that Clerkenwell, Shoreditch and Hoxton have a “clubbers” reputation, with venues like Fabric, 333, Turnmills and Cargo well known across the UK – even worldwide – and part of the UK’s vibrant music scene, which is now an important part of the UK economy as a whole.
I am somewhat surprised that Travelodge did not consider this before building a big new hotel. That said, residents’ rights and the hotel business are important and I have to say that in the circumstances the licensing committee seems to have taken a reasonable course forward.
Ben Challis
Collier Street, N1
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