THE EDITOR, Sir:
I WISH to refer to an article in your newspaper of Monday, April 19, 'The commercial, industrial invasion', written by a contributor, who, the byline says, is a retired professor of sociology. I can lay claim to no such important title but would hope that you will consider this letter worth printing as well.
The article refers to the increasing encroachment by certain types of activity on communities which had, not too long ago, been firmly residential. Its writer states that not all of us have the facility to escape to the hills and leave the unpleasant noises behind for the members of the lower classes and the poor to tolerate in their impotence. His concern does not appear to have extended to unwanted additions like nightclubs, but this is what I wish to address.
You are aware, I am sure, that what had once been a restaurant, Golden Dragon, at the bottom of Mona Road, sometime ago became a nightclub, The Waterfalls, at the opening of which I understand, many important people were seen. Just above it is a small townhouse complex called Tavanore Court, whose residents have been plagued for years and years by night noises from Standpipe, without succeeding in having the police deal with it in any meaningful way with the enforcement of the appropriate laws. That is bad enough, but the Tavanore citizens whose homes are on the western side now have the ill-fortune to share a wall with The Waterfalls. Their nights are being made a living hell and once more appealing to the police has brought no respite. Some of these unfortunate, law-abiding, middle-class people are retired, like your contributor, the retired professor, but do not have the means to walk away from the public nuisance created by the owner(s) of the night-club, and must grit their teeth and bear it when their homes vibrate with the sounds of people having a good time.
Attempts have been made to appeal to the appropriate authorities, the Town Clerk and the Commissioner of Police, but to no avail. I hope this public cry for help may be heard at last by those who call themselves public servants.
I am, etc.,
MARGARET BISHOP
Lily Way
Discovery Bay
