England’s Shropshire Council Orders Church To Stop Playing Reggae Music

In a move that seems to bring back memories of Apartheid in South Africa, the Shropshire Council in England, reportedly singled out Reggae for rough treatment, demanding that the St. Anne’s Church in Lea Cross, stop playing “amplified dance or Reggae music” at the building.

According to the Shropshire Star in an article titled Racism claims as Reggae or dance music is ‘banned’, Chris Jones, a businessman and owner of the church, which is located in Lea Cross, near Shrewsbury, accused the council of ageism and racism and of having an ‘elitist rule’ on musical tastes, after being served with a noise abatement notice following events at the private church.

Jones, who also owns the Albion Vaults pub in Shrewsbury, said in the article that was published in early March, that the Shropshire council took legal action against him following two events at the church in 2020 year, “where drum and bass and Reggae music were played”.

According to the news report, following an appeal hearing at Telford Magistrates Court, the matter was adjourned to enable the council to suggest measures to Jones that he could implement to prevent future problems.

However, Jones said that instead of coming up with a measurable sound limit an agreed distance from the building, the municipal authority issued him with a vague requirement not to play certain types of music.

“From our point of view it is likely that any amplified dance music, reggae, trance or similar music played at the church is likely to create a noise nuisance,” the council said in an email.

“This is because this type of music or event will be played at high volume that would be likely to travel easily into nearby premises,” it added.

Jones has, however, rubbished the council’s claims, noting that he was surprised by their reply.   He also argued that the request was inappropriate for what was a meeting place for people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds.

He said the idea of an elitist’s rule on music styles is unacceptable, and that barring forms of music is stupid.

“I’m not having anything to do with some seeming ageist, racist bar on forms of music. The court was made aware The Wurzels are planned to perform at the church.   Am I supposed to tell The Wurzels they cannot play Reggae tracks or have any dance music or my licence is under threat?” he argued.

“My friend, who plays in a Reggae band, and has cancer wishes to have a wake in the church one day.  Are they suggesting I inform him the music he loves cannot be played by his friends?” Jones added.

The article quoted Councillor Gwilym Butler, cabinet member for regulatory services at Shropshire Council, as saying that the inquiry relates to ongoing proceedings and therefore the no comment could be made on the particulars of the case.

“All local authorities have a legal obligation to investigate complaints and allegations of nuisance, such as noise, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Shropshire Council considers both its equality duties and its responsibilities when investigating nuisance complaints,” Butler said.

Over on the Love Music Hate Racism (LMHR) platform, where a link to the Shropshire Star’s article was shared, those who read the article, said the council, which presides over one of England’s most rural and sparsely populated counties, had made a half-witted decision.

“If the issue is the bass, maybe ask them to turn the bass down… idiots,” Adam Russell said.

“Buy a db (decibel) meter and use it. No need to discriminate by genre, it’s low to hate peoples music,” John Kleeman said.

This is the first in recent history that Reggae music is being banned from being played in public.

In the heydays of Apartheid, a brutally racist system of government in South Africa which was characterized by systemic segregation and discrimination on grounds of race, the revolutionary music of artistes like Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer and Bob Marley, were banned and if caught with one of their cassettes, blacks could face imprisonment.

Back then, the three Wailers aimed their lyrical messages directly to the liberation movements in the southern parts of Africa, Peter Tosh slapping the colonial rulers with Fight Apartheid in 1977 and with Bunny Wailer taking aim at Botha the Mosquito in 1986, while Marley spoke out with Zimbabwe in 1979.

Jamaica was also the first country in the western hemisphere, and the second in the world, after India, to ban trade and travel with white-ruled South Africa, because of the oppressive system which cruelly dictated the movements of black families and individuals.