Students write cheeky note to neighbours telling them to not park cars outside homes before party
A group of students have caused controversy online after hosting a party at their house and leaving a note to their neighbours telling them to not park outside their own homes.
Generally, if you're planning to host a large event it's a good idea to inform your neighbours. Nonetheless, even with that gesture of good will, things can still only go so far.
It might otherwise have been a party like any other student party, but some students from Canterbury decided to write a note to their neighbours ahead of a 'barbecue' they had planned.
Amazingly, they advised residents to park their cars somewhere else during the party and said it would be running between 9pm and 4am.
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At least they told them in advance, I suppose.
"There may be several people parking around the area and additional noise from music and guests," the students explained to their neighbours in the note.
"The event is starting at around 9pm and planned to finish at 4am. We wanted to apologise in advance for any inconveniences and will do our very best to keep the music level and noise to a respectable level and ensure that our guests leave quietly." Not too bad... right?
Well, the students went on to 'strongly encourage' their neighbours to park on a different road to 'help ensure no vandalism or damages are made to any vehicles'.
Needless to say the students' neighbours did not share that view, and you hardly blame them.
One neighbour, retired civil servant Paul Barba, 68, said: "We felt completely unsafe, intimidated and not part of the community.
“Even with every window in the house closed, it was still too loud for us to get any sleep. Nobody should be expected to live like this.”
Despite promising to keep the noise to a minimum, neighbours claimed that the music was extremely loud, and continued late into the night.
When they saw people doing drugs, they called the police.
The students later said: “We had organised security, and we sent out the letter to make it more professional.
“There was a bit of commotion outside when people were leaving but other than that everything went averagely well.”
However, images of the day after the party showed the street strewn with broken glass and laughing gas canisters.
Paul's wife Rani said: “Why should I have to spend my time and my energy cleaning up other people’s mess?
“Sometimes it feels like we are living in a student campus.”
Areas with high concentrations of students can often lead to tensions between the student population and permanent residents.
Another resident, postal worker Barry Young, called the police as he claimed he saw some revellers using illegal substances.
He said: "You name it, they were doing it. We had a gentleman with a baseball bat who decided he would have a little scuffle with someone right opposite my house.
“I appreciate the students need to let their hair down at the end of term. I don’t have a problem with that, but they need to think about the other residents who still live here."
A spokesperson for Kent Police said: “Officers attended the property and spoke to those present. No criminal offences were established.”
"Regal Estates manages the property where the party was held and said that the occupants would “bear the full consequences of their actions”.
Kit Roberts