Listen to the Expert on Gunnersbury Park Event Noise
Chiswick Gunnersbury councillor Cllr Ranjit Gill reports back
Cllr Ranjit Gill
June 24, 2023
I hope everyone is coping in this heat. As always, it’s been busy with emails flowing in with queries about the need for weeding, inconsiderately parked Lime e-bikes and uneven pavements as well as what is to come this summer.
Gunnersbury Park events – managing their impact
I wasn’t able to attend the Chiswick Area Forum on Tuesday, 23rd May but my colleagues tell me there was an excellent presentation from Peter Robertson, a local resident who runs outdoor music festivals so understands how noise works and, just as importantly, how festival organisers work. He explained that measuring decibels isn’t the only warning sign of excessive disturbance. It is the base frequencies that are most disturbing, rattling windows and doors and shaking houses and sofas.
Besides, festival organisers tend to ramp up the volume towards the end so that the crowd leaves with ringing in their ears and experiences the traditional next day experience of fuzzy muffled hearing. Peter lives 1.78km from Gunnersbury Park and recorded over 70 decibels as well as the thudding base. Others complained from Shepherd’s Bush, Kew Green and far into Ealing. Peter’s presentation is fascinating and I recommend you read it. t
Gunnersbury Park commissioned an independent acoustics consultant to review the 2022 events and the complaints received from local people and from Ealing and Hounslow councils. Residents at the area forum made the point that many hadn’t bothered to complain because the Hounslow Council complaints line wasn’t staffed and leaving a message seemed unsatisfactory. Having different contact arrangements for each festival was off-putting. There was also a general feeling that the Gunnersbury Park CIC wasn’t listening anyway. I wonder, is it starting to do that?
The management team has made some concessions this year, at last listening to residents. The maximum decibel level has been reduced from 75 to 73 (not much, is the general view). Monitoring noise levels will be assessed over five-minute spans instead of 15-minute periods which should mean a more realistic assessment of impact. After years of asking by Chiswick Gunnersbury councillors, there will be one phone number to ring for all festivals. More people will staff the complaints line, including Gunnersbury Park CEO David Bowler. The Hounslow council noise complaints line will be staffed more efficiently, too.
The dedicated phone number for complaints or queries is 020 3781 0001.
Resident meetings will be held before all festivals. The meeting about the Soho House Festival has already taken place. The others are listed at www.visitgunnersbury.org/whats-on/concerts-outdoor-events
To book tickets for any event at Gunnersbury Park use the same link.
Let’s see how 2023 goes.
Music doesn’t just sound louder at night …
No Mow May ends
Residents had to wait until 20th June for No Mow May to end. I know some people love weeds and think our verges should never be mown because of the benefits of leaving them wild. Others have been affected by grass allergies. Unfortunately mowing hasn’t been the delight some were hoping for. They have been irritated by the crude results of the first mow and especially that the cut grass is not being removed. In some parts of the borough, as reported by a resident in Cranford, the grass appears to have been pulled up leaving bare patches of earth and general untidiness. As this spot is blighted by fly tipping, scruffy verges add to the general downtrodden look of the area.
Weeding
Tweets from Hounslow Highways reveal that the weeding team has been working hard but not in every road. There is a schedule of which road is being done when. If your road hasn’t been weeded and isn’t on the list, please contact one of your councillors who will fight the case for your road to be done.
Dockless Lime e-bikes
Please continue to report misplaced bikes, particularly if they are left in a dangerous or inconsiderate place. Email support@li.me and your ward councillors with photos and the location.
Personal update
I know some of you ask about Peter and I’m touched by your concern. He is keeping well. Unfortunately, he does not recognise me and it's heart breaking. Over 40 years together and this disease has taken him away. It is cruel. His friends have vanished because they can't bear to see him in this state. He is unable to do anything for himself. He needs feeding and help with drinking. I still visit him at weekends and it is very sad. I know some of you are coping with similar challenges. You have my sympathy and understanding.
Councillor Ranjit Gill
Chiswick Gunnersbury ward
07976 702956
DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES
Tuesday, 4th July – Housing and Environment Scrutiny Panel : 7.30pm
Tuesday, 11th July – Cabinet : 7.00pm
Tuesday, 11th July – Health and Adults Care Scrutiny Committee : 7.00pm
Thursday, 13th July – Planning committee : 7.00pm
Tuesday, 18th July – Borough Council
CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR SURGERIES
Chiswick: Every Saturday from 9.30am to 10.30am at Chiswick Library (the eight Conservative councillors take this surgery in turn).
Gunnersbury: First Saturday of the month from 10am to 11am at The Gunnersbury Triangle Club, Triangle Way, off The Ridgeway, W3 8LU (at least one of the Chiswick Gunnersbury ward councillors takes this surgery).
CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLORS and CONTACTS
Chiswick Gunnersbury (was Turnham Green) ward
Cllr Joanna Biddolph joanna.biddolph@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 703446
Cllr Ranjit Gill ranjit.gill@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702956
Cllr Ron Mushiso ron.mushiso@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702887
Chiswick Homefields ward
Cllr Jack Emsley jack.emsley@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 396017
Cllr Gerald McGregor gerald.mcgregor@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784821
Cllr John Todd john.todd@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784651
Chiswick Riverside ward
Cllr Peter Thompson peter.thompson@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 395810
Cllr Gabriella Giles gabriella.giles@hounslow.gov.uk 07966 270823
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