Alton Towers fined £5,000 for noise

That's stupid why spend 250,000 to fight the case to only have AT fined 5,000. I bet the couple is rethinking what they did. By the way, what does that translate to in dollars.

*** This post was edited by razore86 11/2/2004 9:15:20 AM ***

$459,723.96 in court fees, and a $9,196.50 fine.

Here are 2 more links to reports about this story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/3972609.stm

http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/02/nalto02.xml

That must be some "nightmare" to have paid $459,723.96 for it. I wonder if Garfields "Nightmare" cost this much? Lol

A HUGE Soundproof wall should be build around the couple's home, like they have on our American Highways that go through residental centers...

Some people are insane :-\

Whats ironic is that the couple who complained own a small factory in the village which the other locals hate a hell of a lot more than the theme park!

Is the noise really worth $500,000. For that type of money why not just move.

They have a hell of a lot of cash they own a large factory that is very noisy just down the road and they have a second home in South Africa.

These people are idiots, I hope they realise how many people they are going to make miss out on a fantastic fireworks display but limiting it to once a year.

Idiots!

I have no idea what the precedent is for law over there, but given the ridiculously specific and restrictive nature of the local planning authorities there, it could be argued that the creation of the theme park over the last few decades was a very open and public process. Where was this couple during the planning stages?

From reading the article, it seems that Alton Towers was at first willing to pay for the legal costs until they got an e-mail saying the costs were 250,000 lbs. Talk about padding the bill! I think maybe the Ropers and their attorney should be investigated.

They should just be glad they aren't my neighbors, because if either of them so much as passed gas outside their house, I'd take them to the magistrate.

"Where was this couple during the planning stages?"

Good point, depending on who you belive they were: in their house in South Africa where they spend a fiar amount of each summer, or in their factory making noise throughout the night to keep their neighbours awake, or sitting in their garden terrorized by all the noise.

What baffles me is if Oblivion is so loud, how come it has taken them seven seasons to notice the noise and do something about it...

Rather than spending 250,000 Pounds on combatting the park, why didn't they just spend their quarter million on buying a nice, posh, estate somewhere OTHER than Alton?

It's all about pride and stupidity.

It's like "we were here first why should we move"

The locals build a theme park and instead of going, "hmmm it might be a bit noisy now" they've gone "I don't like theme parks, I'm going to argue about it being here despite the massive increase in tourism for the town"

I hope Rita is a loud B*TCH!

What are people thinking? You live next to an amusement park. What do they expect a peaceful retreat with the sound of nature.

Regarding amusement parks noises... Another victim of bad neighbors is the ex Six Flags Belgium. They had to enclose most of the Schwarzkopf Flywheel shuttle loop... put a solid roof on the Intamin looping starship to cover the screams and the worst: sandfill the track and cover part of the second lift on the Boomerang!

You say: well, why don't the neighbors move out? Well.. some of them do, but the real honest real estate agent make the home visits for potential buyers either: in the off season, when the park is closed or after or before hours of the park during summer! People say its real quiet and buy the house. When the amusement park opens... they of course blame the amusement park....

The couple shouldn't be mad, they should be happy that they're living next a great theme park. I bet they've visited it loads of times, they just want to spoil everyone's fun.