To be glad I don't live on the Notting Hill Carnival route? (Long!)

[worraliberty]

Just sitting here thinking that this will be the first time in 4yrs that my BIL, SIL and their 2 DD's won't be coming to stay with us to escape the Carnival (they've managed to move away.)

But I still feel sorry for a lot of the residents who, like my BIL and SIL don't have a great deal of choice about having to live on the route...mainly because they'd waited years for a council flat and a lot of residents can't sell up and move for whatever reason. The Council pay for and organise a weekend away for the residents aged over 65..but anyone else has to leave at their own expense or put up with it.

When the carnival first started over 40yrs ago, it was a much smaller, quieter affair and would probably have been a lot of fun living in the midst of it.

But they said the flat literally used to shake with the booming noise and there was no way they could settle the kids down, trying to enter or leave their flat was almost impossible and quite scary with the massive crowds. On top of that, there were people urinating absolutely anywhere...mainly against resident's front walls/doors and across shop shutters.

This is taken from the council website.....

"The Council wants to set a maximum level of 135 decibels. This is still extremely loud as standing next to a pneumatic drill is measured at 110 decibels. By setting a peak level of 135 decibels the Council hopes it can reduce the average sound levels people coming to carnival will be exposed to."

Apart from anything, the emergency services are unable to hear their radios with the music so loud...and there are laws to prevent anyone from being exposed to noise above 137dB, because hearing can be damaged very quickly at this volume. Yet in recent years the noise level has often been recorded at 140db. Every time they're asked turn it down..they turn it back up again later.

So AIBU to agree with the residents who for years have been calling for it to stay in Hyde Park due to the sheer numbers it attracts now (over 1 million) and the level of noise and disruption it causes?

[HeIsSpartacus]

YABU and a party pooper. I live en route and I just go and stay with people now I've got a DC like your BIL and SIL do. When DS is older we will be joining in. Can't wait to get him dancing to Norman Jay and the children's day is awesome. Lots of people can't move not just people who are reliant on the council for their housing.

[ninah]

yabu. It's an important celebration for the area. It's once a year, and it's fabulous .. as for dc it's not even as if it's on school nights!

[worraliberty]

I agree it's not just people reliant on council housing Spartacus...hence me saying a lot of residents can't just sell up and move.

I know I'm an old fart and a party pooper

But you're lucky you have somewhere to go for the weekend to escape...not everyone has that pleasure and some are too worrried about leaving their homes empty.

The children's day is awesome...you're right about that, although isn't that held in Hyde Park? Either way, I'm sure the kids are no subjected to such loud noise levels.

[ninah]

the children's procession goes down Ladbroke Grove and is every bit as loud

[worraliberty]

No it's not on school nights ninah but is there any need to have music so loud it actually shakes your home and you can feel it thumping in your chest?

I think that's probably my main point in my party poopingness.

It must be quite scary when you're a baby/child to suddenly have that going on...if your parents can't leave the area.

[worraliberty]

the children's procession goes down Ladbroke Grove and is every bit as loud

See if that's true I think I rest my case because that's just ear splitting!

[Blu]

It's 2 days. And Children's day, Sunday, is shorter and quieter, too.
THOUSANDS of people enjoy it, it is a big international tourist draw, etc etc.
People with restricted housing chopices as well as home owners live opposite football stadiums, test cricket grounds, on busy A roads, by airports and many other places which suffer sporadic or regular disruption in the interests of public events etc.

Presumably it IS a choice to a certain extent to live in London? The Nottting Hill / Ladbroke Grove / Westbourne Park area is a fabulous central location in London, you'd be hard pressed to get that anywyere without some form of tourist or business disruption from time to time - it's a bit precious to complain.

[ninah]

Yeah it's loud, it's carnival! I used to live there I know what you mean. Have taken dc when small. Admittedly it could be scary if the dc are not expecting it but I think if the parents explain it will be fine.

[Blu]

There are not so many sound systems on Children's day. It's the sound systems rather than the music trucks from the carnival bands tha are super loud. IME.

[ninah]

I'd gladly house swap! do they want to live in the country? loudest thing here is a tractor. Or the sheep at night. It's bloody awful

[coraltoes]

Council housing in one of the priciest areas of London. My heart bleeds for them having two noisy nights...

[worraliberty]

Fair point Blu though I suppose for various reasons people feel they can't move away.

I just feel sorry for people waking up to (not that they would have slept) tons and tons of rubbish, debris and piss everywhere

ninah I love carnival...I just agree with the residents that now it's grown over the years from a few hundred visitors to over 1 million...perhaps it's time to hold it in the park.

[HeIsSpartacus]

Depends on if the parents are neurotic scared types I suppose - can see how a child would pick up on that (excepting children with SN involving noise/over stimulation and then parents really should move out for the weekend because that would be torture).

I do house swaps - there are plenty of takers who want the carnival on their doorstep for the weekend and I can go and stay in their country cottage/flat in Paris/barge in Amsterdam for a nice change.

Bit feeble to demand everyone else stop partying because you can't make other arrangements! I thought you were made of sterner stuff Worraliberty!

[coraltoes]

And the flots are during the day, nobody stopping people escaping and then returning in the evening.

[worraliberty]

Council housing in one of the priciest areas of London. My heart bleeds for them having two noisy nights

The place was a slum...that's another reason they couldn't wait to move out

[worraliberty]

I'm not demanding anything Spartacus I'm just saying I agree with the residents who think it's time to move it to Hyde Park now it's so massive

[worraliberty]

And the flots are during the day, nobody stopping people escaping and then returning in the evening

No-one except the 1 million people crowding the streets. Believe me, leaving their flat wasn't really an option unless absolutely necessary.

I don't think you can explain to babies and small children why their whole bodies are thumping with such a loud noise that's much louder than a road drill...well I suppose you could, but that's not going to make it any better surely?

Fuck, I really am an old fart

[Blu]

The clean-up is super fast and efficient.

[hester]

I used to live nearby, and I have friends who live on the route. I would absolutely want to get as far away as possible, and I feel sorry for those that have little option to do so.

BUT most people can arrange to be away, surely? And you have to put against that the undoubted benefits of Carnival.

So YANBU to be glad you don't live on the route, but personally I don't think it should move to Hyde Park - that's not what Carnival is about.

[worraliberty]

hester I know a few people are afraid to leave their properties...whether their fear is unfounded or not I don't know.

I think I'll be relaxing in my rocking chair and watching it on TV with the volume down low as I do my knitting

[hester]

Ah yes, good point worral.

I'm rather glad I live out in the sleepy burbs these days.

[Ephiny]

I think having it in Hyde Park or other suitable venue would be a very good idea actually. It's not reasonable to have that level of noise and disruption in a residential area IMO. I know it's only once a year, so obviously not the worst inconvenience in the world (I'd rather have that than a noisy neighour being a nuisance every day!), but still think it's a bit ridiculous.

Very glad I live well away from the route anyway!

[scrambedeggs]

I know when my OH used to police it, they used to pray for rain because it really drove down the crime

[coraltoes]

I admit this yr I'd be terrified, think there will be a lot of trouble...and i think Hyde park would be far more suitable in the long run...containing the noise, crowds, mess.

[worraliberty]

Yes, crime is another thing.

In the past it was more a case of people openly selling/taking drugs in front of the police who seemed to sort of turn an 'unofficial' blind eye.

But the rise in gangs over the last decade does seem to cause trouble too at various public popular events.