Christmas carols banned in London store over 'noise pollution' concerns!

Melbourne, November 21 : A council in London has banned a traditional shop display branding its Christmas carols ''noise pollution''.

Westminster Council has warned department store Debenhams that it may be prosecuted if continues to play carols as part of its 250,000-dollar annual display, including dancing reindeers and snowmen moving to Silent Night.

Though Oxford St is considered to be one of the noisiest streets in the British capital, the council's environmental health officials deemed the music a nuisance and ordered it be switched off.

"If every business was allowed to blast its choice of music and advertising into Oxford Street a visit would become unbearable and inevitably affect trade," Courier Mail quoted Daniel Astaire, the council's cabinet member for community protection, as saying.

Debenhams said that the council even rejected its offer to turn down the volume so that it would be audible only if a person's ear was an inch from its glass window, and threatened to issue it a fine.

Attendants at the shop said that they thought the music could offer some cheers in gloomy times of the credit crunch.

ANI