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Bruce Springsteen |
Stadium concerts born to run after Springsteen gigs success
CAMPAIGNERS who opposed Bruce Springsteen’s concerts at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium in May have been accused of spreading “misinformation” to encourage residents to log complaints on the night.
In a report due to be presented to Islington Council’s east area committee on Monday, council officials claim the number of noise complaints logged during the concerts could have been influenced by leaflets falsely suggesting Arsenal intends to apply for permission to hold 12 events a year.
At the same time, the Tribune can reveal Arsenal is applying for permission to host up to three concerts a year, all within a two-week window from May 25, when the football season ends.
An Arsenal spokesman said future concerts would end by 10.30pm, adding: “The conditions under which the concerts were run in May will not be changed at all, but the licence will now generally apply on an ongoing yearly basis, as opposed to the existing licence, which was specific to the Bruce Springsteen concerts.”
Over the two nights of the Springsteen concerts 76 people complained, but only one agreed to be visited by noise officers.
The Town Hall report into the effects of the concerts suggests the reluctance to be visited could have been significant. It states: “We were aware some residents had been leafleted, encouraging them to log complaints. This did include some misinformation indicating that Arsenal was likely to reapply for a licence to hold 12 events per year if these were successful.
“It is difficult to gauge how this affected complaint levels but it is significant that householders did not want officers to visit them to witness noise nuisance.”
Green councillor Katie Dawson, who criticised the lack of consultation over the Springsteen concerts, has praised the way they were staged. She said: “There was a very small number of complaints and at least five calls saying the concert was not loud enough. I know lots of people here who couldn’t get tickets, who decided to have a barbecue so they could listen to it but they couldn’t hear and it was really miserable.”
She added: “Arsenal are really bad neighbours but three concerts a year is not much. I can’t get upset about this. In some ways people hate Arsenal so much here that they will just have a go at them and there are many reasons to hate them but this is not one of them.
“People need to put it into perspective. Hearing football crowds shouting and scratching and fighting is unpleasant but having an international artist in your neighbourhood is bloody exciting.”
The Rev Stephen Coles, who originally objected to the concerts, said he was pleasantly surprised by the noise levels. He would accept future events if kept within the specified time window.
The report, produced by the Town Hall’s environment department, said Arsenal complied with licensing conditions and did not breach any noise rules, although the concert overran by seven minutes on the first night. |
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