Hearing aid firm in concern over next door noise (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Hearing aid firm in concern over next door noise

10:00am Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News By Hannah Postles, T&A Reporter

Milnes’ Kevan Bailey, managing director, and Glynn Carr, practice manager, outside the company store

Bosses at the country’s oldest audiology company fear hearing tests could be affected at its Bradford city centre shop after planners gave the go-ahead for a bar to open next door.

Glynn Carr, of 94-year-old business FC Milnes, said staff needed ‘complete silence’ to assess its customers’ hearing and believes its equipment could be jeopardised if a business which plays music opens next to its home on North Parade.

The practice manager sent a letter of objection to Bradford Council planners in December after hearing about an application to change the use of the derelict building from a shop to a ‘drinking and eating establishment’.

But he claims his letter was ‘ignored’ and has since discovered permission was granted by planners under delegated powers in January.

Mr Carr said: “It’s frustrating and worrying. I would have thought the Council would have had the courtesy to at least give me an acknowledgement of my letter.

“As a hearing aid centre, we require complete silence in our premises when performing hearing aid tests and dealing with patients.

“Also, the majority of our patients are elderly and the thought of drinking premises next to us will be off-putting to them.

“As we are the country’s oldest audiology company and we have been in business for 94 years, this could be a big impediment to our ongoing practice.”

Mr Carr said the business had not been given any details about the establishment which would be opening next door and a spokesman for Grey’s Recruitment, on the other side of the proposed development, said it had sent a letter to the Council sharing Mr Carr’s fears about noise.

But last night the applicant behind the scheme, Stevan Shaw, told the Telegraph & Argus the planned cocktail and spirit ‘cafe bar’ would open from 4pm each day with ‘light music’.

He also said he would visit the neighbouring businesses to discuss any concerns that they might have.

Chris Eaton, of the Council’s planning department, last night said the plans had been approved with a condition that a noise abatement scheme is submitted before any business opens.

He added: “When assessing planning applications any correspondence received by the Council is taken into consideration before determination.

“Due to the nature of the location of this property we share the concerns of those nearby and have therefore placed a condition on this application that calls for details of a noise abatement scheme to be submitted and implemented before use begins.

“This is to ensure that the noise generated at this premises is kept to a minimum.”