'Too noisy' on Magna Carta day

Jun 22 2009 By Russell Butt

AN EGHAM landlady has been told she may be served a noise abatement notice for playing music too loud - on Magna Carta Day.

Katy Carter of the Red Lion Pub in the High Street, was warned after an environmental monitoring officer from Runnymede Council took readings from the pub on Saturday, June 13, following a complaint lodged with the council four days earlier.

Now Ms Carter is waiting to hear a final outcome from the council, but said she was given no notice of a previous complaint, and felt the warning came out of the blue adding that it was unfair to be noise monitored on an evening when the whole town was enjoying its annual celebration.

She said: "I think it's wrong, we should have been made aware so we had a chance to act on it. They [Runnymede Borough Council) knew for four days they had received a complaint and we knew nothing.

"I would not mind if we had knowingly breached something but we did not even know about it, I think that's wrong."

The bewildered landlady confessed that the music in the pub was playing louder than normal, but felt given the occasion it was justified.

She added: "It was louder than usual - it was a party and everyone was enjoying themselves.

"If we had been aware there was a problem we would have had it turned down. They [the council] don't even take into account that it was Magna Carta Day."

Interim Director of Technical Services at Runnymede Council, Dennis Speight, said that an officer was already monitoring in the area on the evening, so was asked to go to the Red Lion too to 'assess whether there were any problems'.

He said: "When the officer visited he witnessed loud music coming from the pub at distances of approximately 100 metres either side of the pub. The doors and windows of the pub where noted to be open.

"We are at present considering how best to minimize any future disturbance from the premises this will include giving appropriate advice, possibly serving an abatement notice or issuing a warning letter. We are also looking at the control measures incorporated in the premises licence to ensure that they are meeting the licensing objectives and that appropriate conditions are in place to control potential noise emissions."