Excesive noise levels from a Perth city centre pub seriously affected the health of a local resident, it has been claimed
Amanda Goddard told Perth and Kinross Licensing Board that music playing in Brennan’s was so loud that she could make out the lyrics in her flat.
The primary school teacher lives four blocks away from the St John Street bar but said she clearly heard songs like Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines and The Monkees’ Daydream Believer.
Almost every weekend between 11pm and 3am she and her husband were forced to endure the noise and, at one point, they considered selling their property.
“It got to the point where I was really dreading the weekend every time it came round to Friday and Saturday,” she said. “We actually thought we had made a huge mistake buying the property.
“I wasn’t aware of the laws in force regarding noise levels and just thought we would have to put up with it.”
Mrs Goddard revealed that she became so stressed by the issue that it triggered her asthma to the extent that her doctor recommended a stay in hospital.
She continued: “My doctor was really quite alarmed by how bad it had become. I had to take a few days off work to rest and I was put on a stronger steroid inhaler.
“I’ve been on it ever since and I’m monitored every month.”
The loud music also affected her husband Carl, who often worked on a Saturday.
He was left so exhausted that he was sent home from his job as a caravan service engineer on at least one occasion.
The couple finally contacted Perth and Kinross Council’s environmental service and officers installed a noise monitor in their home in February this year.
It recorded levels of up to 50dB, which is loud enough to disturb sleep.
They then spoke to the licensee of Brennan’s, John Buchan, and an inspection of the premises revealed that his existing noise-limiting equipment was “past its sell-by” and it was replaced earlier this month.
Environmental health officer Dawn Stewart said: “Myself and Mrs Goddard listened to what level we found acceptable. The noise limiter was set to a level where we could no longer hear it.”
Defending Mr Buchan, solicitor Janet Hood told the board that her client had not been aware of Mrs Goddard’s ill health.
She said there was “no evidence” that the noise coming from Brennan’s had been responsible for her anxiety, instead blaming it on her “heavy teaching job”.
Mrs Hood requested a three-month deferral on the matter, asking for her client to be given the opportunity to prove the issue had been resolved.
After deliberations, however, councillors issued a written warning to Mr Buchan, ordered him to install new noise-limiting equipment and set a condition that no noise should be audible between 11pm and 3am.
Meanwhile, discussions over a variation in Brennan’s licence were also deferred until August, with an interim agreement that the number of stewards could be reduced to two on a Friday.