Norfolk and Norwich Festival venue to open later despite objections

A festival has been given permission to keep one of its venues open later despite objections. Norfolk and Norwich Festival organisers applied for a license to allow outdoor entertainment up until 23:00 GMT in its 'Spiegeltent' in Chapelfield Gardens. The venue had received noise complaints in the past from neighbours. At a Norwich City Council licensing committee meeting on Tuesday, the authority agreed to the later hours but asked organisers to monitor noise levels and share any complaints it received.
The festival, which dates back hundreds of years, featured an array of shows and performances at venues across the city during a two-week run. Some of the festival's most popular shows were hosted at the huge Spiegeltent in Chapelfield Gardens.
Not all locals welcomed the later hours and some said "considerable" noise was already generated at the event. William Oxley, who lives in St Giles Street, said: "This is unnerving for residents and makes life unpleasant in the evenings."I have complained on several occasions in the past to local councillors about noise on one-off events - which is bad enough. But this is too much." Council officers recommended that new noise enforcement measures should be brought in to ensure sound levels do not impact neighbours.However, organisers believed their current methods worked well and said the proposed changes would be too expensive. Daniel Brine, director of the festival, said: "Like all charities, we count every penny."Far from being a threat and a nuisance, we see ourselves as an asset to the city."Organisers told the council they would continue to monitor noise levels and share any complaints received. This year's Norfolk and Norwich festival will run from the 9 May to 25 May.
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