Striking a chord for silence

Now that Rye is blessed with an excellent new library in the High Street, what promises to be a haven of peace and quiet has certainly not been able to deliver any degree of tranquillity for the past few weeks on a Saturday afternoon, despite the best efforts of library staff.

By The Newsroom

Published 13th May 2011, 08:00 BST

Every Saturday, normally for several hours at a time, an accordion player, stands immediately outside the library entrance, “serenading” passers-by and anyone seeking to enjoy that haven of tranquillity with what I am sure most people would regard as somewhat tuneless renditions of his musical capabilities.

As far as I am aware, despite complaints from the manager of the Rye Library, members of his staff and at least one other local resident, the noise continues unabated.

I do not wish to seem like a complete kill-joy, but may I urge anyone who prefers to read or study in peace at the Rye Library to lodge a complaint to the authorities in the hope that the gentleman in question can be guided towards somewhere a little more appropriate to exercise his musical talents than in the entrance of a public library.

John Emslie

Rye