Summer for Minehead Butlin's neighbours 'ruined' by loud music coming from the holiday park
People who live next to the Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead claim their summers have been ruined by loud music coming from outdoor venues there.
The residents say their complaints to the company and the local district council have not been listened to. They fear the same happening next year.
Butlin's created the outdoor venues this summer to reduce the risk of Covid-19 spreading.
Watch: Footage filmed by Butlin's neighbour Charlotte Kemp from her garden during the summer season
The residents' homes are on Warren Road, which runs alongside the Butlin's site.
The neighbours say whilst they have always been able to hear noise from the camp, this summer the volume has increased.
Marian Remfry is one of them. She says: "It comes in the house. I’ve got triple glazing - I can shut the windows, I can still feel and hear the vibrations of the bass which comes under the ground."
Another neighbour, Charlotte Kemp, says: "I think we’ve all struggled during Covid and the one time when we want to just try and be outside, have fresh air and enjoy our gardens - I can’t sit out in my garden.
"I can hear it inside the house even with headphones on. It starts at 11 in the morning until 11 at night.
"Unless you physically move out of Minehead you can hear it."
Andrew Atkins also lives next to Butlin's. He says: "They’re generally accommodating on certain things but with this they haven’t budged an inch.
"We’ve just asked them to turn it down, turn the bass down, if they could, just to make things a little more comfortable for us. It hasn’t worked - they haven’t done a thing."
A Butlin's spokesperson said: "We’ve worked very closely with our neighbours in Minehead on a strict noise management policy, which is signed off in co-operation with the local authority, and we do not exceed agreed noise levels.
"The good news for our neighbours is that our summer season ended on Friday and the outdoor activity has ended.”
Somerset West & Taunton Council says it has been speaking to both Butlins and the residents to resolve the issues.
A spokesperson said: “Somerset West & Taunton Council was supportive of measures to allow Butlin's to continue to operate over the summer holidays, putting on family entertainment at a new outdoor venue due to the Covid-19 restrictions on indoor entertainment.
"Advice was given to ensure compliance with the premises license and minimise the potential for noise disturbance.
"Unfortunately some complaints were received by the council which has since been liaising with Butlin's and working with residents in the usual way to resolve the issues.
"Butlin's has confirmed that the outdoor stage has now been removed and the Council has been advised that there are no plans to do this again.”
The concerns for Marian and her neighbours is whether they will be filling out nuisance diaries again next summer.
She said: "We’ve got to put things right for next year. We want some sound-proofing so that we can stop complaining and we can live our lives."
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