St Mary's is not alone in a year that sees a significant increase in the number of football stadiums hosting concerts in the UK to provide an additional revenue stream and bring entertainment to their areas during the closed season. Some have hosted concerts before, while for others such as St Mary's it is a first, but in all cases the potential for noise upsetting local residents is a major hurdle to over-come in securing the all-important entertainment licence.
Acoustics specialists Capita Symonds has helped many UK sports venues secure concert licences during 2005, and the company was brought in by St Mary's to help secure its licence. This meant looking at all of the factors at St Mary's that could be controlled to ensure concerts will have a minimum impact on the local environment, considering potentially effected audiences in the planning application.
Jim Griffiths, Director of Acoustics at Capita Symonds explained said detailed planning local consultation preceded careful design of the PA system to limit noise pollution during the gig and sound checks, control of the noise generated by concert equipment being loaded in and out and regulating times at which music can be played. St Mary's has now been granted planning permission to hold two concerts this year.
As part of its consultation for the stadium, Capita Symonds will monitor the concerts themselves, ensuring they stay within sound restriction levels and adhere to the conditions set down by the licensing authority.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
