An East London community center is not allowed to sell booze at events after parents from a nearby nursery school complain

An east London community center has had its license application refused after parents from a nearby nursery had “serious” concerns about its plans to serve alcohol near where children play.

Anita Foreman, secretary of Chandos Community Association, was applying for a new premises license for Chandos Community Center in Stratford, east London.

The community center previously held a club license under a charity called Chandos Center Social Club Limited. However, it was struck off the charity register in May 2023 and by January 2024 the license had expired. Under the plans, the centre’s opening hours have been set to be 12pm to 11pm (Monday to Thursday), 10am to midnight (Friday and Saturday) and 10.30am to at 22:30 (Sunday).

The supply of alcohol has been set between 17:00 and 23:00 (Monday to Thursday), 17:00 to midnight (Friday), 10:00 to midnight (Saturday) and 10:30 to at 22:30 (Sunday). Ms Foreman described the center in council documents as a “vibrant hub” for the local community, which offers a range of activities throughout the week, including karate lessons for children, salsa dancing classes for adults and a karaoke night on Sundays.

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She went on to say that the center hosts charity events for important causes such as Help for Heroes and Macmillan Cancer Support and there are bingo sessions for the elderly, which Mrs Foreman said helped to combat loneliness and isolation. She said the center would host most events in the evenings and at weekends and Busy Angels Day Nursery, which is nearby, would be closed during that time.

A number of residents backing the plans said the center should be allowed to reach its “full potential” after hosting a range of diverse events that bought the community together. However, dozens of parents signed letters calling for the plans to be refused because they were “incompatible and conflicting” with the nursery.

Parents were concerned that the car park and building are shared by the center and nursery and were concerned about “serious” safeguarding issues and anti-social behavior (ASB) that could be caused by people drinking alcohol. During a meeting with Newham Council’s licensing sub-committee last week (April 30), Environmental Health’s Ian McConnell said he had concerns about residents being affected by loud noise coming from the venue, which has single-glazed windows.

He said: “The applicant intends to prevent public nuisance by relying on CCTV, but I am concerned about loud music blaring from the hall and bar area. (There will be) loud voices and shouting from customers using the outside areas. , the noise from patrons hanging out outside when the events are over, and the noise from disposal after the event is over.”

One resident who opposed the plans claimed the area had recently struggled with anti-social behavior problems and claimed drug addicts had been hanging out in the car park. They added: “… our area is experiencing a litter problem and I believe this will be exacerbated by an increase in traffic and people visiting the centre, we have finally experienced events that have taken place at the community center a few years ago…they didn’t end particularly well.

“In principle, I have no problem with the community center being run for karate, OAP bingo and things that make the community a strong community, but I don’t necessarily think alcohol has to be on the premises for those things to be taken. place.”

In response to this, the vice president of the community center said drug addicts were able to enter the parking lot because there was no lock on the gate and said “we have no control.”

He added: “We’re looking to work with the nursery to lock it down … so they can’t get into (the car park) and (will have) CCTV fitted in the right place so the police can use that and deter drugs. users.” However, one resident said their concern was based “purely on the basis of the alcohol licence” being so close to the nursery and on a quiet residential street.

They said: “I think there’s room for everyone and there should be room for everyone to do all the things they should be doing but we’re concerned about the alcohol license not the use of the center which I think is . great staff.”

The community center said it just wanted a chance to revive the venue for the local community and everyone else who wanted to enjoy it.

However, a nursery representative who was at last week’s meeting said a number of parents had approached her with concerns about the plans. She said that although the center was previously licensed to sell alcohol, the nursery didn’t notice it as much because it was “barely open” and not busy.

After an intense discussion that lasted more than two hours, the licensing subcommittee adjourned the meeting to make its decision in private. The committee returned to the boardroom to announce that they had denied the request.

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