Tensions mount over noisy pub
Residents claim that they have endured years of excessive noise which often emanates from the bar until 2am.
FOLLOWING complaints regarding the noise pollution created by a night club on Umhlanga Rocks Drive, several Umgeni Park residents have come forward with similar outrage over a sports bar on Riverside Road.
The residents, who requested to remain anonymous, alleged that for years they have been begging the owner of The Hops Bar & Restaurant to ‘tone down’ it’s noise levels, but have only been met with indifference and anger.
“The noise levels are abnormally vulgar and an annoying disturbance. In addition to loud music, we often hear loud shrieking and at times we thought someone was being attacked,” said one despondent resident.
According to a second complainant, the noise emanates from the bar on a daily basis, mostly until 1am or 2am. “Even if we shut all our doors and windows, the noise still pierces straight through. We can’t even watch television,” she said.
Another concerned father said he had to send his matric daughter away last year as the noise made it too difficult for her to study. “We have called Metro Police many times, but so far nothing has been done and we are at our wits’ end,” said the second resident. “If they were to take their patrons inside and turn down the music by 11pm, we would not have an issue,” she said.
However, trough his lawyer, Richard Till, the owner of the bar, Pierre van Zyl, has shot back, saying that they have been trying to resolve the issue. According to Till, they have only received complaints from The Riverglades Complex and have since been attempting to find ‘an amicable solution’.
“There has been an open line of communication between us and the body corporate of the complex,” he said. “Last year, we arranged for a sound engineer to investigate the noise levels and we did discover that the aluminium awnings have been directing the sound towards the complex,” added Till.
Since then, the staff have been mandated to ensure that the windows and doors are closed at all times and that the patrons are kept at the top section of the recreational area, he said.
What’s more, said Till, was that the owner is also awaiting approval for the erecting of a wall, which would buffer additional noise.
Chairman of The Riverglades body corporate, Joyce Howard, confirmed that they had received verbal proposals from the bar owner.
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