‘City centres are both noisy and vibrant’ - Bristol nightclub Motion reacts to noise complaints

Bristol nightclub Motion has hit out at noise complaints lodged against it since it reopened after lockdown, urging the community to help protect the venue as it struggles to recover from the pandemic.

The venue, which has stood in Avon Street for 18 years and established itself as a landmark on the nightclub scene in Bristol and across the UK, claimed it had been ‘crippled’ by Covid-19, when restrictions on nightlife forced it to close its doors for more than a year.

The nightclub reopened back in April, but in a social media post this week, it revealed it had since received complaints regarding sound disturbance over the summer.

The post from its Facebook page claimed buildings in the area had been taken down over lockdown to make way for new housing developments, making the sound travel in directions ‘unknown’ to the club.

It added that club bosses had been attempting to address the issue of the developments for ‘more than two years’ to no avail.

The post reads: “We need positive engagement and solutions that do not adversely affect the venue, the delicate ecosystem of employment and also importantly - we need to give residents a workable solution.

“The building has been insulated over the years, in line with the council recommendations and much work and improvement have taken place.

“City centres are both noisy and vibrant. Sound complaints will hinder our culture, we hope we can live together as we have done for nearly 20 years.”

The social media post was met with a mixed response.

Camilla Umar commented: “I live nearby and sometimes when I wake up in the dead of night, I can hear Motion and it makes me so happy that although my clubbing days have passed, the party raves on.”

Tungaw Cotto said: “If people live in a city centre they can’t complain about noise in a place of high population density. It’s ridiculous.”

But Phillipa Gardener said: “I live quarter of a mile away and have experienced such loud noise levels that it has driven me half mad.

“Whatever you say, the sound is really loud and it’s travelling to the extent that I’ve had to go out of my home to get away from it.”

Motion has been approached for comment.