The Blue Acoustics called in to carried out an music noise assessment for a new sports bar in Gloucester.
We were recently asked to help with a planning application for a new sports bar. Heritage bar is located next to Gloucester Rugby Club on Kingsholm Road and advertises itself as Gloucesters No.1 venue for sport and music. The idea behind the bar was to provide somewhere for the rugby fans to congregate before and after matches at the adjacent stadium. Live music was to be arranged on match days to provide further entertainment and screens would be positioned around the bar to show other sporting events. The frontage would be a large bi-folding glass door system, allowing fresh air into the space through the day, and being closed in the evening to contain the noise.
The bar is situated in a largely residential area and faces a row of terraced housing. A music noise assessment was therefore essential to determine the noise levels from music, patron activity and live sports broadcasting within the bar.
Noise monitoring
Noise monitoring was carried out over a 4 day period to capture noise levels on weekdays and through a full weekend period. This provided us with background noise data for a variety of potential opening days and times, enabling us to identify noise sensitive periods.
The assessment highlighted concerns over the sound insulation provided by the front facade and so a new design was drawn up in INSUL9.0. Recommendations were made to re-enforce the existing wall structure and calculations carried out for this and the bi-folding glass door system. Music noise breakout through the front door was identified as an issue (when open) and so a lobby system was proposed to minimise this problem. The lobby system would consist of spring loaded doors at each end to minimise the chance of noise leakage when patrons entered or left the venue.
Noise Management Plan
Finally, a bespoke and detailed noise management plan was drawn up to provide staff with a clear procedure for managing the bar with respect to noise breakout and music levels, including protocol for recording and reporting noise issues. The plan also included recommendations for monitoring and regulating music noise levels on live music nights.
The team at Blue Acoustics has extensive experience across the full spectrum of noise related consultancy. All staff are trained to MSc level in Applied Acoustics and are members of the Institute of Acoustics, which is considered the industry gold standard for acoustics professionals.
We regularly service clients throughout the UK, in particular Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Devon and Somerset. We cover a range of disciplines such as Noise Surveys, Noise at Work Assessments, Industrial Noise Surveys, Residential Noise Surveys, Sound Insulation Testing, Hospital Acoustics, School Acoustics and Office Acoustics.
To book your initial consultation please call us on 0333 444 3403 or drop us an email at info@blueacoustics.co.uk.