► Lansdown, 5 Dec: Group 'chanting and grunting'

(18049) Large group of students making noise in street, late evening, Wed 5 Dec 2018.

Two residents have complained to the University of Bristol.

First resident: "It’s 11.20pm and I’ve just returned from talking to lots of students at [xx] Lansdown Road. The noise started around 30mins ago, with chanting, grunting and general shouting. When I went to investigate they weren’t hard to find—there was large group milling around in the street and garden of No. [xx], with the front door open and students coming in and out. When I spoke to a girl who lived in the house she explained they were all leaving and apologised. Sure enough, within 5 minutes of me returning home the noise really calmed down. Trouble is the ‘damage’ has already been done, with the entire street subjected to half an hour of very intrusive noise.

"The more insidious ‘damage’ is the stress, because when noise like that starts you have no idea how long it will go on. Is this the beginning of a party? Will it go on all night? Should I go and talk to them now? Should I wait and see how it develops?"

Second resident: "Lansdown Road has become a pleasure ground for your [UoB's] students. Yesterday was appalling. All through the day there were groups of ten or more standing around in the street yelling and shouting. ... When I went out at seven there were a large group milling around outside No. [xx] doing some kind of initiation ceremony in the street, yelling and chanting. Apparently they were a hockey team. I am afraid I lost my cool and shouted at them for disturbing a quiet residential street. All they did was laugh and sneer. This is the worst it has ever been, with these gangs tramping around the street. Your students behave more like yobs than well-brought-up youths. I contrast that with the decent demeanour of the UWE students I see at work. I am at a loss what to do next. It is like being invaded by an unruly army."