Boston nightclub in hot water over noise complaint
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Neighbors have had it with Bijou nightclub on Stuart Street downtown, calling in the police to measure nighttime sound levels well above what's allowed.
Why it matters: The ongoing war between residents and loud music is one of the key tensions Boston's nightlife economy needs to deal with.
- Enforcing noise laws isn't always the highest priority for police, which irritates residents and limits accountability for repeat violators.
State of play: Bijou landed a licensing violation with the city following a noise complaint that registered 57-62 decibels inside a neighboring apartment, with windows closed, after 11pm.
- Boston Police measured sound levels above the 50-decibel limit in resident Lauren Ingram's apartment with the windows closed the night of May 10.
Club management acknowledged the violation and said they immediately lowered the club's music volume when approached by police.
- The club blamed DJs for raising the volume beyond set levels and said club staff are monitoring volume now.
What they're saying: "It got away from them" that night, attorney Steven Miller told the board.
- Miller said the club has already spent over $200,000 on soundproofing since 2021.
Zoom in: Ingram, who has filed repeated complaints against Bijou, told a panel of the Entertainment Licensing Board that unacceptable levels of noise happen frequently at the club but police aren't always available to measure the sound levels.
- She said staff at Bijou can control sound levels when they know city officials are there and suggested they could keep it down consistently.
What's next: The Mayor's Office of Consumer Affairs and Licensing will issue a written decision after Executive Director Kathleen Joyce reviews this week's meeting footage.