The scale and volume of concerts held in London’s Hyde Park could be reduced after complaints from local residents over noise and disruption.
Hyde Park plays host to the annual Hard Rock Calling and Wireless festivals, as well as various high profile headline gigs from some of the music world’s leading stars. However, some of these shows are now under threat amidst council plans to reduce the number of concerts held in Hyde Park every year by over half, as well as cutting both the capacity and sound levels of the gigs which would survive the cull.
“It’s pretty bad,” Mike Dunn, vice-chairman of the Mayfair Residents Group has said. “There are two issues for us – the number of concerts and noise they’re allowed to make. If you sit here with the windows open on a hot day, you can hear every word.”
“I like to watch the men’s Wimbledon final but there’s always a concert on that Sunday and the noise completely drowns out the television,” councillor Glenys Roberts has added.
This summer, Hyde Park is due to play host to the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and Rihanna.
After the fiasco of the SkyArts coverage of Springsteen at the Isle of Wight Festival 2012, it’s a wonder Springsteen wants to show his face again. It seems it was he who limited the number of songs and timing of them – way beyond SkyArts programme schedule – for thse millions waiting at home. Springsteen has form as the same happened when he ws at Glastonbury a couple of years ago. Maybe bruce should go and find other suckers to play for.