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| Coniston church bells: Pub complainers silence 'noisy' chimes | Coniston church bells: Pub complainers silence 'noisy' chimes |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Bells at a Lake District church that have tolled for more than a century have been silenced after pub guests complained of sleepless nights. | Bells at a Lake District church that have tolled for more than a century have been silenced after pub guests complained of sleepless nights. |
| A timer has been installed at St Andrew's Church in Coniston to stop the clock chiming between 23:00 and 07:00. | A timer has been installed at St Andrew's Church in Coniston to stop the clock chiming between 23:00 and 07:00. |
| It follows complaints from the owner of the adjacent Yewdale Inn who said guests complained about the noise. | It follows complaints from the owner of the adjacent Yewdale Inn who said guests complained about the noise. |
| Some residents have criticised the decision, insisting the bells are "part of village life". | Some residents have criticised the decision, insisting the bells are "part of village life". |
| Jeff Hart complained to South Lakeland District council, claiming night-time chimes were a nuisance when guests at his nine-room pub were trying to sleep. | Jeff Hart complained to South Lakeland District council, claiming night-time chimes were a nuisance when guests at his nine-room pub were trying to sleep. |
| The council said following an investigation it had instructed church officials to take action to reduce overnight noise. | The council said following an investigation it had instructed church officials to take action to reduce overnight noise. |
| Mr Hart said: "It would just disrupt your sleep constantly. You're always on edge, especially when the big one comes at midnight. | Mr Hart said: "It would just disrupt your sleep constantly. You're always on edge, especially when the big one comes at midnight. |
| "In the kind of job we have it's extremely stressful." | "In the kind of job we have it's extremely stressful." |
| Mr Hart said complaints had been made to him in person and also negative comments had appeared on online review sites. | Mr Hart said complaints had been made to him in person and also negative comments had appeared on online review sites. |
| He added: "Living across from the church gives us a wonderful atmosphere. It's just, can we have some sleep please?" | He added: "Living across from the church gives us a wonderful atmosphere. It's just, can we have some sleep please?" |
| But resident Anne Hall said: "I think for every one that says it is a problem, there are many others that say they like the sound of the country bells. | But resident Anne Hall said: "I think for every one that says it is a problem, there are many others that say they like the sound of the country bells. |
| "It's part of our village life and when you hear them they give you a feeling of community." | "It's part of our village life and when you hear them they give you a feeling of community." |
| A spokesman for South Lakeland Council said: "We received a complaint of alleged noise nuisance relating to the clock at St Andrew's Church in Coniston. | A spokesman for South Lakeland Council said: "We received a complaint of alleged noise nuisance relating to the clock at St Andrew's Church in Coniston. |
| "It is our statutory duty to investigate all such complaints and in circumstances where environmental health officers establish there is a nuisance we always try to find a solution before serving an abatement notice. | "It is our statutory duty to investigate all such complaints and in circumstances where environmental health officers establish there is a nuisance we always try to find a solution before serving an abatement notice. |
| "That is what happened in this case. We monitored the level of noise from the clock and advised the church accordingly. | "That is what happened in this case. We monitored the level of noise from the clock and advised the church accordingly. |
| "Since then a new mechanism has been fitted, silencing the clock from 11pm until 7am." | "Since then a new mechanism has been fitted, silencing the clock from 11pm until 7am." |
| A spokesman for the Diocese of Carlisle said turning off the chimes during the early hours was a "reasonable compromise" in this situation and one that other churches had also adopted. |