Residents and councillors not allowed to make objections to the proposal

Acton Service Centre, Gunnersbury Lane

A local councillor has responded angrily to a plan to open a pop-up bar on Gunnersbury Lane during the Lovebox Festival in July.

A Temporary Event Notice has been issued to open the bar on the forecourt of the Acton Service Centre at 17-18 The Broadway, Gunnersbury Lane. It would operate from 10.30am to midnight on the 12 and 13 July.

This is located in the London Borough of Hounslow in Turnham Green ward and when we contacted one of the local councillors Jo Biddolph she said she had not been consulted and was not able to make a formal objection despite here significant concerns about the plan.

She said, "This application is opportunistic and insensitive and has no place here, during Lovebox/Citadel or any other time. It is on the principal route from Acton Town station to Gunnersbury Park and tens of thousands of people will be walking along it on all three days of these festivals. Last year, with 110,000 people in total attending these festivals, the disruption to local residents was immense. They raised very strong objections to the festivals taking place again because of that disruption. The disruption was caused not just by the volume of people in one small area but also because of the noise and behaviour from people under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

"To add to the mix a pop-up bar, in a location that is below people living in flats above the garage and its neighbouring shops; in houses behind it in the Gunnersbury Park Garden Estate conservation area; beside it on the road that is the route to the festivals; and opposite it (houses opposite are in Ealing, this road is the boundary between the two boroughs) would be insulting given the disruption experienced along Gunnersbury Lane last year."

At the time of the festival last year there was a significant issue with attendees ‘pre-loading’ by buying alcohol from shops and bars in the area as it was significantly cheaper than that on sale from the bars inside the festival. The Sainsbury’s near the planned site of the bar reported a sharp increase in sales during the festival with people drinking what they had bought in haste and then discarding the cans and bottles in nearby streets. The pop up bar is likely to see significant demand from festival goers for this reason.

Cllr Biddolph was told that as the application is just for a temporary licence only the Metropolitan Police, Pollution Control and Licensing Authority are permitted to object to under the Licensing Act 2003.

The Metropolitan Police have already made representations outlining their concerns that the granting of the notice could create additional anti-social behaviour, public safety issues and noise nuisance for the residents. The representation from the Licensing Enforcement Officer reflects the concerns of the Police and makes the point the premises would also require a Temporary Street Trading Licence.

Hounslow’s Licensing Team are currently asking for comments on the application for a licence for the Gunnersville pop festival in Gunnersbury Park which is due to take place in September. Comments should be sent to licensing@hounslow.gov.uk.

June 6, 2019