Amplified music was a Saturday night institution at the hotel for many years until noise complaints from nearby residents to the police and Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing silenced it last September. 

The Bayview’s management has worked with both these parties to return the music, while a petition (started by patrons and not staff) to return it attracted well over 1000 signatures.

Bayview marketing manager Ainslie Ratcliff received confirmation from the hotel’s solicitor that the noise-reduction measures were declared sufficient.

“I couldn’t stop smiling, because we have put so much into it,” she said.

Technology has provided the solution.

The hotel has installed a noise limiter, and this has been the key to getting the go-ahead.

“It is a machine hooked up by an electrician and calibrated by a sound engineer, so that if the noise levels, including background noise, gets above a certain decibel level, then the music cuts out,” Ms Ratcliff said. 

The Bayview wasted no time in getting DJs, rock bands and acoustic artists and other acts booked in, and so far, everything is running smoothly.

“Our first night back with a DJ was fantastic and we have had no complaints,” Mrs Ratcliff said.

Mrs Ratcliff said “99 per cent” of the entertainment would be locally sourced, so the return of the music would benefit the whole area. 

“We now have the opportunity to showcase fantastic local talent,” she said.

Mrs Ratcliff is delighted to be able to give the community back something it has wanted for so long.

“Everywhere we would go in the street people would ask when is the music coming back?” she said.

She said she and the other staff had been “blown away” by the support of the community.

“We have had fantastic support from people of all different ages,” she said.

“When we announced that we had got the all-clear on our Facebook page we had 14,897 hits, 90 shares and 327 likes.

“I had a young woman say to me ‘thank God I don’t have to go out to the bush at Durras any more’.” 

She said that  the petition gave management “courage to go forward and put a lot of money into fixing the problem.”