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Residents' protests highlight Chandos-area Hallowe'en noise


(Revised) Hallowe'en parties produced a barrage of noise across the Chandos district on 31 Oct—possibly the noisiest night of the year so far. This was also the night on which the local beat police began five evenings of patrols. But they were called away to another area later in their shift. While parties are to be expected on Hallowe'en night, the date fell mid-week, meaning many residents had to go to work or school next day. The University of Bristol's guidelines for mid-week parties say "quiet by 10pm". Most of the night's parties didn't get started until about that time and several went on into the small hours.

Walking around the Chandos and Waverley areas at about 11-30pm, I counted about a dozen events in session, with large numbers of students on the streets generating a lot of noise. I've listed three of these events in the Incidents column and noted some others below.

One resident has written to both universities protesting at the level of disruption the district suffered. In an email written at 1-30am, he says:

"Hallowe'en seems to have given students a licence to roam the streets and have parties, because right now I’m surrounded by noise, shouting, yelling and worse. The disturbances are too numerous to keep track of, but look to involve both UoB and UWE students.

"This message, for what it’s worth, can only put on record that tonight, in the middle of the working week, students are prepared to disturb a whole neighbourhood with little thought to the harm they cause."

He then goes on to mention noise generated by students in Lansdown Road who began banging waste-bin lids. (See separate incident report.)

He also mentions noise from Waverley Road (on the south side of the railway line), involving a house with a lot of people partying in a back garden. I myself noted two parties under way in Waverley, one significantly larger than the other, but from the street side it was not possible to identify which was which. The police later told me in an email they had spoken to party-goers in Waverley earlier in the evening.

The resident's complaint continues:

"I, along with many others, will have our sleep disturbed throughout the night, and yet still somehow try to work the next day. All those benefits that we're constantly told the universities bring to the city also have a cost—the sleepless nights suffered by residents, the loss of productivity at work and the negative impact on our health and wellbeing. As well as academic excellence, please teach your students that living in a community requires consideration for others."

A Cowper Road resident:

"It's 3:15am and I'm still awake due to pounding bass from a party. Unfortunately I don't know where from—I am by the railway line on Cowper Rd and the line means we hear parties from all over."

A Chandos Road resident:

"Just to confirm that we heard a lot of noise from the streets, though for us it was more distant. It went on through the night."

A Cotham Vale resident:

(Revised, 02/12/2018: Comment removed.)

A Brighton Road resident:

"This morning I had to sluice vomit from my front path. I have lived in this street for 10 years and have never previously complained, viewing the occasional noisy party [as] perfectly reasonable. This year however the frequency and noise of parties in this road has been intolerable and the associated bad behaviour really grim." (See Incident reports 18032 and 18033 for Nos [x] and [x] Brighton Road.)

Resident:

"Yet again excessive noise disturbance from three student parties in the area: Brighton Road, Waverley Road and Lansdown Road. ... students walking up the street with drink bottles in hand and shouting loudly. Students sprawled onto the street at Brighton Road. I have phoned the police (101) who stated they would send an officer when available."

Updated, 13/11/2018:

Waverley Road resident (submitted 12/11/2018):

I've just read your Hallowe'en report and cannot relate to it at all. My experience of Hallowe'en night was nothing like what you describe in your report. That night I wasn't aware of any "Shocking Hallowe'en noise" and it certainly wasn't the "noisiest night of the year so far" as far as I am concerned. I wasn't aware of any student parties taking place in my vicinity. Between about 7.30 and 10.30 pm that night there was a "lively atmosphere" out on the streets. The liveliness was, from what I could tell, due mostly to non-student residents (young kids and their parents) "trick or treating". It sounded like they were out and about having fun - something I'd expect on Hallowe'en night."

My comment: My report was based on my own observations, made between 11pm and about 00:30am. As acknowledged, we would expect the streets to be "lively" on Hallowe'en. But that doesn't excuse late parties. This was a week night—UoB guidelines: quiet by 10pm. As noted, there were two parties in Waverley Road. Back-garden noise from one of these was very evident from the Chandos side of the railway line, but much less so in Waverley itself (except, no doubt, to near neighbours). However, in light of the reader's comment, I have changed the headline and first sentence of the article to make it clear the report refers to the Chandos area, as the body of the article indicates. I welcome readers' comments: They are important in helping me to build an accurate picture of what is happening. AW

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