Exodus to rave on to the sound of silence
Published by Serious about News – Monday 21 April, 2003
Copyright: Serious about News
Sunday, October 27, 2002 – THE hills weren’t alive with the sound of music in Chalton after council chiefs destroyed the Exodus Collective’s rave equipment.
Environmental Health Officers teamed up with police to raid Long Meadow Farm in the village a month ago.
This week three tonnes of top-of-the-range musical equipment, believed to be worth tens of thousands of pounds, was destroyed by South Bedfordshire District Council.
Items crushed included amplifiers, speakers and a public address system.
The Exodus Collective, which operates out of Long Meadow Farm, had held a series of raves throughout the summer, leading to complaints from residents.
After being tipped-off that more were planned police searched the premises and seized the equipment.
Exodus was given 28 days to claim the seized goods, but when they failed to come forward, the council exercised its right to destroy the equipment under the Environmental Health Protection Act.
Councillor Brian Spurr, who has executive responsibility for environmental health, said: “Seizing and destroying this equipment was a last resort, but we will not tolerate people who break the law by continually breaching noise pollution regulations.”
