Mast could force Laser Quest to shut
Jul 22, 2005, 15:51
The Chronicle West Midlands
Stourbridge's popular Laser Quest centre could be forced to close down by emissions from a nearby mobile phone mast interfering with players' guns.
Managing director Mr Robert Brookes said signals from the controversial mast could interfere with the radio signals controlling laser packs ruining customers' games.
And if the packs are affected Mr Brookes said he could be left with no choice but to shut Laser Quest.
He said: "It is very stressful and frustrating because we do not know what the impact is going to be when this mast is made active.
"Our packs work on a very low radio frequency which is going to be swamped with stronger signals that could interfere with the equipment."
Dudley Council refused planning permission for Orange to install a mast on top of St Andrew's House, but the decision was overturned by the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol and the mast is now thought to have been taken over by T-Mobile.
Mr Brookes said: "The schools, residents and local councillors all objected so for it to go down to Bristol and be overturned is outrageous."
Firefighters use Laser Quest as a training site for scenario based exercises and said it would be a blow if the centre was forced to close.
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From Karen Barratt
You have 3 months in which to take legal action against an operator under the Telecom Act after a mast becomes operational. In addition I think commercial enterprises have rights under European legislation. In the Byron Ave case we hoped to challenge Orange on the possibility of the mast (due to power output) interfering with sensitive equipment in our homes. I think we found that although some of us work from home the regulations only applied to companies not domestic premises whose operations were affected. If someone is in touch with the people in this report, tell them to look into it.
The Chronicle West Midlands
Stourbridge's popular Laser Quest centre could be forced to close down by emissions from a nearby mobile phone mast interfering with players' guns.
Managing director Mr Robert Brookes said signals from the controversial mast could interfere with the radio signals controlling laser packs ruining customers' games.
And if the packs are affected Mr Brookes said he could be left with no choice but to shut Laser Quest.
He said: "It is very stressful and frustrating because we do not know what the impact is going to be when this mast is made active.
"Our packs work on a very low radio frequency which is going to be swamped with stronger signals that could interfere with the equipment."
Dudley Council refused planning permission for Orange to install a mast on top of St Andrew's House, but the decision was overturned by the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol and the mast is now thought to have been taken over by T-Mobile.
Mr Brookes said: "The schools, residents and local councillors all objected so for it to go down to Bristol and be overturned is outrageous."
Firefighters use Laser Quest as a training site for scenario based exercises and said it would be a blow if the centre was forced to close.
--------
From Karen Barratt
You have 3 months in which to take legal action against an operator under the Telecom Act after a mast becomes operational. In addition I think commercial enterprises have rights under European legislation. In the Byron Ave case we hoped to challenge Orange on the possibility of the mast (due to power output) interfering with sensitive equipment in our homes. I think we found that although some of us work from home the regulations only applied to companies not domestic premises whose operations were affected. If someone is in touch with the people in this report, tell them to look into it.
Starmail - 24. Jul, 15:39
