Families kept awake all night by heavy metal music from illegal rave party in Silvertown

Hundreds of residents were kept awake all night by heavy metal music after party goers held an illegal rave at an industrial building standing empty in Silvertown.

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Families at the Trade Winds apartment block on Wards Wharf Approach, Barrier Park, in Silvertown say electronic music was pumping out of the nearby industrial unit on Thames Road in the early hours between Saturday and Sunday.

Pensioner Clive Bayard said Newham councillor officers and police turned up around 1am but that the music continued non stop from 11pm on Saturday until 10am Sunday.

Mr Bayard said: “There are about 500 residents just in this block and residents in surrounding homes were also kept awake all night. It was even worse for the families living closer to the industrial unit than me on the other side of our block.

“It was just unbearable. All I could hear was this pumping beat of heavy metal vibrating through our building.

“I was too frightened to go over there but some of the other residents who went over there say they were verbally abused.

“Council officers and police turned up around 1am but they took no action so it just continued. And after 3am we could no longer reach anyone on the council’s noise complaint phone line.”

“I felt completely powerless.”

A council spokesman confirmed they received a number of noise complaints.

He said: “Council officers visited the site with the police to investigate the complaint and spoke to the organisers of an illegal event, who after a warning from the council enforcement officer co-operated by reducing the volume of the music. An abatement notice was served by the council enforcement officer on the organisers prohibiting any further noise nuisance.

“Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, we have limited powers to take action until an abatement notice has been served. If the conditions of this notice are breached, we can issue a fixed penalty notice of £400 if commercial premises are used and seize sound equipment if necessary. Prosecution of the organisers is also an option.

“We have written to all the residents who complained to reassure them action has been taken and to contact us again if they experience further noise nuisance. The site has been secured to prevent further events being held in the warehouse and follow-up visits are planned to ensure it remains unoccupied in the future.”

A spokeswoman for Newham Police said they also received complaints relating to the noise.

She said: “Our response team officers and Territorial Support Group officers attended the premises with London Borough of Newham Enforcement officers, who were supported in issuing an abatement notice. No arrests were made.”