Be part of the Decibel Squad

Diners who are fed up with the excessive noise levels in restaurants are being invited to join national charity Action on Hearing Loss’ ‘Decibel Squad’

Diners who are fed up with the excessive noise levels in restaurants are being invited to join national charity Action on Hearing Loss’ ‘Decibel Squad’ to let the industry know that they’re sick of the din.

Last month, the charity published recordings of noise levels in some of the UK’s most popular chain restaurants as part of its Speak Easy campaign.

The shocking results found that many of the eateries, including Patisserie Valerie and Wagamama, topped over 90db on busy nights, which is the equivalent of eating next to a motorcycle or lawnmower.

To get the word out to the industry’s biggest chains, Action on Hearing Loss is inviting people to have their voices heard by becoming a part of its new Decibel Squad, an online community of people sharing information on how loud or quiet restaurants they have visited are. 

The ultimate aim is for restaurants, cafes and bars to make their spaces more accessible to people with hearing loss. They can do it through investing in sound absorbent material, locating the kitchen away from diners or simply keeping background music at a lower volume.

Freya Moses, 31, was recently diagnosed with hearing loss in her left ear and now wears a hearing aid. The designer admitted that since her diagnosis she is very anxious about being in noisy venues when out with friends.

She said: “I went to the doctors thinking I had a blocked ear after I had noticed that I couldn’t hear things well in my left ear, especially in places with background noise or if I was talking in a group.

“Even though I now wear a hearing aid, trying to have a conversation over all of the background noise is pretty much impossible. I find myself just nodding along as if I had heard them, which makes me feel excluded and like I am in my own little bubble. I still go out but where possible I will avoid really noisy places. I'm also now very anxious that by being in a noisy environment that I will be causing further damage to my ears.”

Paul Breckell, Action on Hearing Loss’ Chief Executive said: “Although this is particularly an issue for people with hearing loss, noisy restaurants are increasingly becoming an annoyance for anyone who wants to escape the noise when socialising with family and friends.

“In a survey of 1,200 people published last month, we found that over 43% of potential diners have opted to get a takeaway instead of going out for a meal, and 91% stated that they wouldn’t return to a noisy place.

“Publishing decibel readings and sharing it with the world might be the only way to get venues to address their noise levels and make their spaces more accessible for not just people with hearing loss but everyone.”