Householders to be Served Notices

Rushden Urban Council on Wednesday approved a public health committee recommendation that the Clerk should be instructed to serve notices under the 1957 Housing Act on the owners of Nos. 48 and 50 Washbrook Road, and No. 13 Harborough Road.

The owners of the three houses will be given 56 days after the notices have been served to carry out repairs which were not done according to the terms laid down in informal notices which were served earlier.

The public health inspector reported that he had made further investigations into complaints about rabbits and poultry being kept near Palm Road, and was satisfied that the premises were well kept and there was no ground for any action because of alleged nuisance.

Rivers

The inspector also verified that the person concerned had all the necessary planning approval for use of the land. A councillor at last month’s meeting asked if this had been granted.

The clerk reported that the new Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Act would come into force on June 1 – afterwards it would be an offence punishable by fines, to continue discharging effluents into rivers without River Board approval.

They Just Want Peace and Quiet

Things that go bump in the night are a real life problem for some people who live in Station Road, Rushden.

According to some residents living there they are continually woken up at 4.30 in the morning by noise from a nearby dairy.

They have approached Rushden Urban Council and at one time engaged a solicitor to act on their behalf.

Mr. J. W. Dennis, a driver, says that he now has to sleep in the rear bedroom of his house because he could not bear the noise.

Mr. F. G. Smith, who lives opposite the dairy, said as regular as clockwork crates started to crash about at 4.30 in the morning.

Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Swindall, who live next door to the dairy said they had to keep their windows shut during the summer because the noise was intolerable.

“It has been going on too long. My wife wanted to move because of the noise,” said Mr. G. Sayer, 6 Station Road.

Dr. P. X. Bermingham, Medical Officer of Health for Rushden, said no standard of noise was set down under the Noise Abatement Act. He suggested that in such cases co-operation on both sides was the best thing.

No Comment

A spokesman for the dairy declined to comment on the matter.

The residents’ allegations have been recorded a number of times in recent minutes before Rushden Urban Council.

In February, in answer to renewed complaints, the council’s health committee stated:

“After reviewing the matter the committee were satisfied that the firm had taken reasonable action for the purpose of endeavouring to meet the complaints received, and they did not feel justified in re-commending the council to proceed any further in the matter.”

Noise noise! — Close Café — Demand Angry Residents

Dayton Café

A petition from 58 residents near the café has been sent to Rushden Council: A complaint has been sent to Wellingborough Constituency MP, Mr. Harry Howarth; and the Rushden and district Trades Council is also taking up the problem with the local police. Also complaints were made through the Rushden Senior Citizens Goodwill Committee at its annual meeting.

Despite this action to try and bring about an end to the noise, bad language and general bad behaviour which has been levelled against those who use the café, the council and the police have admitted that at present there is very little they can do.

Petition

The Rushden Urban Council Public Health Committee told the council on Wednesday that a petition had been received from the residents and directed that copies of the letter should be forwarded to the police and the County Planning Officer.

Mr. Ralph Marriott a Rushden councillor who lives in Moor Road about sixty yards from the café, told the “Echo” he was personally aware of the noise outside the café, he realised that the council could not take much action.

“We, as a council, are not in a position to do anything. I feel that if the 1960 Noise Abatement Act had been given more teeth then we might have had some ground for action.

Compensation

“We have in the past looked at the problem from three angles – those of planning, public health and finance and with regard to compensation which would have to be paid to the owners of the café if it was closed,” he said.

A police spokesman said: “We are not in a position to comment on the matter.” He indicated there was little they could do unless there was excessive noise after 10 pm.

The residents of the area and especially those in Dayton Street are not going to be easily satisfied with such answers. “We are unable to watch television because of the interference caused by motor bikes.”

Rubbish

“The street is like a rubbish tip on Monday morning with cigarette and crisp packets and fish and chip paper and sweet wrappings everywhere.

“The motor bikes are being revved up all the time. “The language is obscene, and a fair proportion of it comes from girls who are as young as 15 or 16.

These are some of the comments from angry residents in Dayton Street where half the residents are old age pensioners.

Treatment

Mrs. Janet Parker, who lives at No. 10 Dayton Street, was married just three years ago. She told the “Echo” that she had been having treatment for a nervous disorder because of the incessant noise night after night without respite – even on Sunday.

“My husband and I were thinking of moving to Northampton and this continual nightmare has made up our minds for us, when we do move we will certainly lose money on the house because this has caused them to be devalued.”

Next door to her is Mr. Leonard Bland, who organised the petition which was sent to the council.

Worst Decision

“I only moved here twelve months ago. Then it was very peaceful, but it has turned out to be the worst decision I have ever made,” he said.

The café came under the ownership of Italian Algerino de Eiso last September and his point of view on the matter of any intended closure of the café is that once the youths are out in the street he has no jurisdiction, and so it is not directly the fault of the café.

“The café is itself not noisy and if there is any bad language the people are out. I tell them about making noise when they get outside, but I am told that it is nothing to do with me,” he said through an interpreter.

The problem is not in itself at the café. It only arises when the young people leave or when they just stand and talk outside.

Problem

This is a problem which will arise wherever young people congregate if it is outside a public house, restaurant, cinema, or café. It seems that little action can be taken but is it much worse than many other people have to put up with throughout the country?

How do the young people who visit the café feel about all the fuss? They seemed unanimous in saying that if this café closes they would not mind. They would just move to another.