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New Generation Church Fined Over Noisy Services In Nottingham

PA/Huffington Post UK  |  Posted: 6/04/2012 14:56 Updated: 6/04/2012 15:09

Gospel Choir
The church was fined over noisy services

A church has been fined for being too noisy after nearby residents complained, it has been revealed.

Residents of Nottinghamshire suburb Basford complained to the council about the level of noise coming from services at New Generation Church in David Lane, Basford.

Amplified singing, music and preaching coming from the gospel church over the last four years meant saw Deacon Everton Lewis-Gordon and pastor Sean Samuel appearing before magistrates in Nottingham last month charged with noise nuisance after, in the city.

The charges against the deacon were withdrawn but Samuel was fined a total of £360 and ordered to pay costs of £300 to Nottingham City Council at the hearing.

Nottingham City Council brought the prosecution following complaints from local residents about the level of noise - amplified singing, music and preaching - coming from the church over the last four years.

Noise pollution officers judged the volume of noise coming from the services to be a nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act after recording sound levels during services, some which could last up to three hours, Nottingham City Council said.

The local authority tried to resolve the situation between the church and residents, and also gave advice to the church on ways of reducing the noise levels.

But after no sign of improvement was seen, nor heard, the matter was taken to the courts.

Alex Norris, portfolio holder for community safety and area working councillor said: "We have tried everything we can to bring this matter to a resolution without resorting to court.

"Unfortunately, over a prolonged period of time, the unacceptable noise levels - sometimes above the traffic noise on the busy road - have not reduced and we have felt that prosecution was the only option open to us.

"Noise nuisance of all kinds - including amplified music - can seriously undermine people's peaceful enjoyment of their own homes and we will always act to protect that right."

Lewis-Gordon and Samuel appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on March 21 charged with noise nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act.

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Reality always bites
Sometimes just a bit peckish
233 Fans
08:33 PM on 04/07/2012
Happy clappers- Joy to them and sod the rest! (Another church ethic)
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
whoknew42
Credulity is not a virtue
753 Fans
 
06:46 PM on 04/07/2012
Now that's funny!
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garethl
32 Fans
01:56 PM on 04/07/2012
God's got an ASBO
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edmurfin
Old man, on Bonus Time:-)
132 Fans
12:59 PM on 04/07/2012
Pity that the regulations about excess noise are not used against the amplified muezzins calls to prayer in the mosques! I wonder why not? Couldn't be that authorities are terrified of offending muslims?
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azencourt
0 Fans
 
08:42 PM on 04/07/2012
Because they know that the "religion of peace" would respond with their usual peaceful manner of protests and they are terrified of having to face down the cries of intolerance, stirring hatred etc.
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edmurfin
Old man, on Bonus Time:-)
132 Fans
10:49 PM on 04/07/2012
That's it, I think, azencourt!
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zak dobermann
37 Fans
11:40 AM on 04/07/2012
Shut them down, as would happen to a noisy night club
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motoroes
10 Fans
10:27 AM on 04/07/2012
How are these religious fanatics allowed to operate and brainwash children??
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JStaceyhib
9 Fans
12:27 PM on 04/07/2012
In the same way that the media and ther gay rights movement does, I expect!
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andfos
1 Fans
02:57 PM on 04/07/2012
But homosexuality is natural. Religion is not.
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motoroes
10 Fans
10:25 AM on 04/07/2012
Why in the modern times we live do we allow these religious fanatics to preach their mind bending rubbish. There are even children being mentaly abused by these nutters! Unreal!!
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Joe Joe P
38 Fans
09:35 AM on 04/07/2012
Why buy a house near a church then? Its the same if you live near a pub, motorway, town centre, or shops.
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Swanty
8 Fans
11:16 AM on 04/07/2012
Perhaps people expect consideration and a reasonable attitude towards their fellow man? Or perhaps they had bought their properties before this noise nuisance had started. Or perhaps Pubs, Shops, Churches et cetera should have no more right to inflict noise pollution on anyone any more than I am allowed to.
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nottingham789
0 Fans
12:21 AM on 04/10/2012
The church was methodist until 4 years ago when the NGC bought it - without consulting local people what they would use it for. We had bought our house longbefore it become a gospel noise trap. Get your facts straight before you offer weak, uninformed opinions. Oh, and this isn't the first time they've been in trouble, they had a noise abatement notice slapped on them in 2008.
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mossy banks
1 Fans
08:06 AM on 04/07/2012
4 years to take action!! If I, a devout atheist, did the same would it have taken 4 years for the authorities to take action? I think not!
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Marc Lungley
16 Fans
11:36 PM on 04/06/2012
Note to all house buyers and estate agents being next to a church unless you are a Christian is not a good point. Expect music from at least 9:30am if not earlier on a Sunday and a lot of noise most evenings. Plus there will be a lot of traffic coming and going. And oh not to mention the youth hanging around on youth nights...
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Polarman
55 Fans
11:09 PM on 04/06/2012
If congregations are to be fined for making too much noise, when can we expect to have Muslim calls to prayer silenced ? They blast out at dawn,amplified, and often at similar times to other Mosques, not giving a toss about anyone else. Surely they dont have to be bellowed at to go to pray, they could use alarm clocks. If alarm clocks are in some ancient way against Islam, how do Muslim people get up for work ?
Im sure this will attract cries of "Anti Muslim hatred", but it is not, I merely ask why non Muslims have to put up with a noise nuisance 5 times a day just because a minority decide to live 500 years in the past.
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sifc33
60 Fans
 
08:01 AM on 04/07/2012
^ (slow-clapping) Well said sir, well said.
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oi wake up
0 Fans
12:03 PM on 04/07/2012
Sorry, was that slow clapping or slapping!!!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Daviejohn
All the world's a stage,
79 Fans
 
11:29 AM on 04/07/2012
Polarman, you have another Fan.
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turtpame
2 Fans
10:00 PM on 04/06/2012
Give the alternative accomodation away from residents that should solve it.
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zak dobermann
37 Fans
11:42 AM on 04/07/2012
The council would probably move the residents - the way that their brains work!!
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turtpame
2 Fans
12:50 PM on 04/07/2012
So true lol!!! Good job they don't hear me when I get going lol. My neighbours don't mind! They say it cheers them up.
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bellsheil
35 Fans
09:56 PM on 04/06/2012
All those gospel congregations are noisy. It is the same with today's music. Unless it is practically blasting your ears off, it is no good. It is all horrible and most of us will no doubt be deaf in a few years. If we could go back to the days of gentle, tuneful melodies that you could hum to or dance to. Even hymns were soothing and pleasant to listen to, in those far-off days.
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sifc33
60 Fans
 
08:02 AM on 04/07/2012
Nothing is soother than an Ole traditional Hymn.
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TheGlovner
41 Fans
07:40 PM on 04/06/2012
"why should our lot half to keep it quiet while those Muslim lot don't?"

Ever heard the phrase that two wrongs don't make a right?

If the calls from a mosque to go to prayer were above decent levels for an unreasonable amount of time and they went back on promises to address the situation, then yes they should be accountable in exactly the same way.

As for the nonsense about the gay pride parade. They don't happen every week and when they do the proper requests are put into let it happen. Just like any other parade. All your comment does is prove the standard level of hateful bigoted spite that hides behind the veil of religion far to often.
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narny
542 Fans
07:19 PM on 04/06/2012
Local people have been complaining for 4 years and only now has something been done about it. I like gospel music but they can go over the top. I wonder if any of the congregation have fallen to the ground in a state of hysteria, as happens in the USA. What's wrong with praying , singing a few hymns accompanied by the organ.Some places of worship sound as if they are having a gig.
I will add that this noise abatement be applied to all places of worship. We shall see.
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nottingham789
0 Fans
12:26 AM on 04/10/2012
Good points. If you want to see how they carry on, have a look on YouTube - at times it seems almost maniacal. Frenzied worship and bizarre preaching are the order of the day...along with relentless amplified drumming and trumpet playing. I'm all for freedom of expression, but not at the expense of others.
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