Organisers of the Quarry’s summer concerts have threatened to pull the plug on future events after a dispute over noise levels – with residents living as far afield as Atcham filing complaints.
Keith Louch, promoter of IML Concerts, told the Chronicle that he would not continue organising concerts in the Quarry until council officials laid down clearer guidelines on noise levels following a host of complaints from residents.
Letters were received by Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council from residents living up to five miles from the town centre, including Sutton, London Road and Atcham, criticising the level of noise in evenings caused by the summer season concerts. This year’s events included Katie Melua and an 80s concert.
Mr Louch admitted these concerts did produce noise levels that breached the licence which resulted in last month’s Indian Summer concerts featuring Travis and Russell Watson being played ‘as low as we possibly could’.
The Indian Summer concerts were monitored by borough council environmental health officers who recorded the decibel levels from both evenings.
Mr Louch said: “We were in breach of the license criteria, no one would dispute that. At the 80s concert the crowd noise was higher than the legal sound level.
“We did the last show at the beginning of September with Travis and Russell Watson and because the previous concerts caused the problems, we did it as low as we possibly could.
“I am not prepared to do any more concerts in the Quarry until there is clearer guidance as it is me who takes the brunt of the complaints.”
David Wraith, borough council environmental manager, said: “We’ve had complaints from across the borough.”
