Forum Topic

Late music events Syon Park

A notice has just been posted on the Rose Garden gate at Syon Park.Concerto Group have applied for a license to hold corporate events with music and dancing from 1st May-30th Sept 2016 - 2021 !!09.00-00.30 Mon-Thurs09.00-01.00 Fri and Sat09.00-23.30 Sundays30 days notice should be given. This is the only sign and it has only just gone up on railings off the pathway. The last day to comment is TOMORROW 21st. How very cheeky. Even at Christmas the noise is such that the windows have to be closed. This application is for every night until 2021.Please complain to licensing@hounslow.gov.uk 020 8583 5555

Joanna Russell ● 3428d17 Comments

Perhaps the amount of events could be limited if the Duke dipped in to his own pocket to help maintain his house as he can well afford to do so

Paul Fisher ● 3426d

I walked through Syon Park at about 10.30 yesterday morning.  There was a notice about the Park Road allotments on the London Road gate, but nothing else, and no notices on the gate at the Park Road end.As I've said, the only two notices were on the Rose Garden gate and the gate to Snakes and Ladders (both still showing the incorrect deadline date).

Katherine Kaufman ● 3426d

If I am picking up this discussion correctly, Rebecca is assuring us of the steps taken by the applicant to consult neighbours.Unless the whole process has changed since my days as a councillor, the duty of consultation lies not with the applicant but with the local authority. And once again it appears, even from what Rebecca has told us, that our local Council has been selective both about whom it chooses to advise and which information it chooses to divulge.

Phil Andrews ● 3426d

Thank you Rebecca.  Hounslow Council please take note!It would be nice to have a blanket ban on all explosive bangs!  Many residents are war survivors the rest of us just get woken up by one party after another throughout the year and that is between plane and road noise. Let's have a quiet zone!

Sarah Felstead ● 3426d

It was, I did  have to go around and collect all the notices after the council rang me. i then altered the date to 3rd April as requested, relaminate them all - and then had to go and repost them all again. I took dated photographs of them all in situe again too,

Rebecca Thorp ● 3427d

Hi Sarah, I agree with you on fireworks. That is why Syon Park do not permit them at events,

Rebecca Thorp ● 3427d

Noisy fireworks travel even greater a distance and should be banned.

Sarah Felstead ● 3427d

It wasn't there this morning.

Katherine Kaufman ● 3427d

I am pretty sure there was a notice on the main gate at 5.00pm this afternoon.

James Homer ● 3427d

This is one of the reasons Syon Park do not have fireworks at their events.

Brian McMillan ● 3427d

1. There are only two notices - the Rose Garden gate, and the gate leading to Snakes and Ladders (for some reason).  There is no notice about this on either of the main gates to the Estate.  2. None of the residents on Brent Lea - which is the nearest residential area to the venue in question - received letters, from the Council, Syon Estate, or Concerto Ltd.3. Once again, there is NO mention of 50 events in the application, which in any case is far too high a number.  4. Distance from the Rose Garden to Brent Lea is about half a mile - close enough to hear the noise from these events as the residents can testify.So, no, it doesn't really help.

Katherine Kaufman ● 3427d

Dear All,There is a notice on the Main gate to the Estate, The Dowager Duchess Gate and also the Rose Garden Gate.The letter sent round to residents by the Council may not mention the 50 events May to September each season - but I can assure you it is in the application. Currently Syon Park has only been able to achieve 35 events a season. Not all are evening events - and not all include music. The planning permission for the structure which has been in force for the best part of decade - only allows events from 1 May to 30 September. After this the Estate must take down the structure and reinstate the green.To my knowledge, we have never had any complaint about noise from the Garden Room Marquee in walled private area that is the Rose Garden (aka wilderness).  On the rare occasions that Syon Park has  received any complaints about different events - then we have acted swiftly to resolve.  Quite often we find that the complaint eminates from somewhere else too. The revenue from these events is used to restore Syon House and the Parkland - and much needed. Do take a look at a googlemap of Syon Park - or its own plans. The Rose Garden is a private walled garden to the right of Syon House - which is nowhere near Brent Lea or Abbey Mews. We started small with a month of events in the Rose Garden (aka Wilderness) ten years ago as a test, and to make sure we got things right – and then developed the programme to run events from May to September in most years.  Most of my colleagues live on the Estate with their families – and several others live near to the end of the drive and outside/ opposite the main gates.  My feeling is that if we can get it right for them – then hopefully we can get it right for other residents  who are much much  further away too.  My colleagues certainly let me know if we are not getting it right – believe me. Many events are daytime events during the main season, and will not include music at all. Where there are evening events, they must finish by midnight on Mondays to Saturdays and by 11pm on Sundays. In addition on Mondays to Saturdays during the last hour (11pm to midnight), no live music or announcements are allowed – only music supplied by the in-house DJ through the Marquee’s own sound system.  The sound system is strictly controlled with sound limiting device which ensures music does not exceed a certain level.  Environmental factors can on occasion make a difference to this. Strange as it may seem weather/ wind direction may play a part – and then we ask the venue manager to act on his or her initiative to manage this and make changes when needed. Every year the sound levels are agreed with the local council – as well as levels being taken and recorded throughout the season too. In the early years when the council had a larger team, officers would come down for a sound test at the beginning of the season with one council officer in the structure whilst another took a motorbike to various positions outside the walls of the Estates so we could test and adjust levels. We still abide by these levels even now. The nearest residence is the pepperpot next to the Rose Garden, and that’s where we take the readings. The hire of the Marquee includes a sound technician too – and we make every effort to ensure the actual design of the structure  aids sound management with baffling, directional speaks and the like too.Does this help?

Rebecca Thorp ● 3427d

I have been informed by the Licensing Processing Officer that the deadline is actually 27th March.  She has instructed the applicant to amend the notice(s) immediately.

Katherine Kaufman ● 3427d

Some of the worst noise pollution is created by fireworks.  There is no need to have noisy or exploding fireworks as a part of a display.  :(

Sarah Felstead ● 3427d

So where were these "several" locations exactly?  Also, there was no notice in the Hounslow Chronicle about this, although the one sign that has been spotted was headed "Newspaper Advertisment."There is nothing in the license application that states this is for a maximum of 50 events, and this would still be 2-3 events a week for 5 months.The residents of Brent Lea are disturbed by noise from similar events every Christmas.  Syon is not a considerate neighbour and is now trying to inflict more noise pollution on us for an even longer period, until 2021.  Unacceptable.

Katherine Kaufman ● 3427d

I want to correct any misunderstanding. Correct procedures have been followed. Notices have been posted in several positions as required for the whole of the statutory period. I supervised that personally. Maybe they have not been noticed before but I can assure you they have been there.The licence application is for the Garden Room Marquee - which has planning permission for the years mentioned - to run from 1 May to 30 Septemmber each year - but for a maximum of 50 events during that period annually. It is not for events all year round.Great care is taken with all amplified music played wtihin a structure that includes acoustic ceiling, directional speakers as well as sound limiters. Tests are done each season too to double check at various points in the local area. Syon has done this for the last eleven years in some form - with no incident - and takes its responsibilities as a considerate neighbour extremely seriously.In addition no acoustic sets or live music can be played after 23.00 hrs - only amplified carefully controlled by the house dj.The nearest neighbours are actually Syon employeess are their families who live and work at Syon Park - and if we can make sure that they are not disturbed then residents further away should not be disturbed.The money raised from this venture goes towards restoration of the Estate and Syon House - and is much needed.I hoep that this clarification asssists

Rebecca Thorp ● 3428d

JoannaIs the Licensing Panel which is to hear this application sitting tomorrow?  If not, any objections which are received prior to the sitting (allowing reasonable time for them to be processed) must be taken into account when the application is considered, notwithstanding the deadline given.Also if correct procedures have not been followed you should seek to have the application deferred, if needs be under threat of legal challenge.Lastly, objectors have a right to make representations to the panel when it sits, and all members of the public have a right to attend.  It is worth doing this because even if the application is granted the panel may well be persuaded to place conditions upon the licence.  In my experience (I have sat on several of these panels and have chaired a few) members are frequently persuaded to at least make concessions when strong local opposition has been demonstrated. Catchments can be a grey area, but in my view there is no ethical reason why you and your neighbours should not have been personally consulted given your proximity to the venue and it appears to me that our Council has opted once again for the minimalist approach to engagement.  Good luck.

Phil Andrews ● 3428d