Background noise in some eateries can reach the equivalent of a lawnmower or a motorbike. It’s enough to put you off your dinner
Gregory Scott’s friends have asked him to find a quiet restaurant for dinner. Until recently this would have been a challenge, given that Scott lives in New York. “It’s known to be one of the noisiest cities in the world,” he says. Now he feels confident that, although he has never been, a small borscht joint called Ukrainian East Village will fit the bill.
That’s because last year Scott set up an app called Soundprint – the “Yelp for noise”. It allows users to search for restaurants conducive to conversation – and, in turn, asks them to record decibel (dB) levels (the app comes with a meter) in other establishments. It has had more than 60,000 submissions, with more than 500 coming from the UK. Ukrainian East Village has been measured four times by app users and averaged 74dB, a “moderate” level that Scott says is great for conversation. As someone with permanent hearing loss, he has a particular interest in such places.
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