Gaetano Mallia, San Ġwann
Loud music in the night
The Stitch Club (formerly Liquid, Wall Street and Vibes) in Tal-Balal has introduced open-air events called Wednesday@Stitch, which, as the name implies, are held smack bang in the middle of the week. The latest event,a free party by DJ Steve Aoki, took place on August 25 and went on until the early hours of Thursday.
A lot of readers write in to complain about loud music from similar venues on weekends but this is a new foray into disturbing the peace and quiet of the night on weekdays. I respect the right of clubbers to have fun whenever they like but not at the expense of others who are entitled to a good night’s sleep before going to work.
I think it is high time that the authorities start heeding similar pleas and do something about loud music being played in open-air venues during the night. When will they realise that the sound emitted by the powerful equipment used today can travel for kilometres in the hush of the night to the detriment of those who want to sleep?
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Anthony Borg
Sep 1st 2010, 17:45
Malta is being turned into one noisy island during the summer months. Each year we here in Lija/Attard have the same problem with the ta' a club in Ta Qal who has the cheek to allow thumbing music sometimes until 3 am. And then there are the open air parties, discos etc. Why do we have to act as if we, the citizens, are the ones to impose the laws? The police are well equiped both with radio and mobile units to be on the spot in minutes. But as has been said here, if the venue has a licence to "disturb people during the night and early hours" by loud music, then what else can we do? Who is it that finally grants these licences? Do we have to police these activities ourselves or initiate court proceedings?
Joseph calleja
Sep 1st 2010, 15:44
Mr Mallia, as long as these premises have legal permits to play that loud music till the odd hours of the morning, there is not much you or anybody else can do unless the laws are changed. Same rules apply, money talks and bulls..t walks. These club operators control the people who make the laws and unless you are one of them I suggest you get you a pair of good earmuffs, or earplugs and sweat it out because yours and every else's pleas against loud noise in early is falling on deaf ears. I think all loud music ( especially in residential areas ) should stop by at least 01:00 o'clock AM. ( I prefer 11:00PM ) but you know how that goes. So Mr Mallia I suggest you gather as many signatures from your neighbors as you can and file a lawsuit and that should also include your local council as a defendant. You have a vote, use it. OIM
Robert Chetcuti
Sep 1st 2010, 15:42
(part 2 of 2) So it’s also our culture that’s part of the problem, it also appears that the problem lies in the sufferer keeping silent & expecting others to speak up! Noise pollution comes in many other highly irritable, & intolerable 11pm – 7am forms, namely loud cars (Loud exhausts, stereos, high revving of engines, jackrabbit starts), barking rooftop dogs, loud yobs, church bells ringing, Band clubs turned discos etc. Yes, we do have noise pollution laws but enforcement is another story. I really doubt whether the govt/police act on their own initiative and enforce noise pollution violations, especially at night. I also believe that the law here is merely enforced half heartedly only upon complaint & unless the person complaining happens to be some high profile, connected individual, I doubt whether the complaint will yield the desired result. It would be interesting to see further comments on this subject.
Robert Chetcuti
Sep 1st 2010, 15:41
part 1 of 2: I totally agree. At time of writing (15:25) I’m very surprised other sufferers failed to comment & show solidarity with Mr Mallia I’m sure Mr Mallia is not the only person living in San Gwann & affected by this & similar injustices. How about people affected by similar noise generated by the Ta’ Qali & Rabat nightclubs (Attard, Rabat, Mosta areas)? Is it possible these people have nothing to say or do they expect others to speak up? What do our politicians have to say? Mr Mallia, Everyone has a right to enjoy deserved peace & quiet, but so do clubbers (have a right to let their hair loose & have a good time). The noise generated by this & other open air clubs is not the clubbers fault, but the selfish owners & government for lack of enforcement. Its not only nightclubs, but it seems that everything here must include loud thumping amplified music, even any open air small venue events (BBQ’s, village festa gatherings, school plays, even charity events etc).