Helen Hayes MP opposes proposals for Sports Direct rooftop bars in Brixton

MP Helen Hayes has lodged a formal objection with Lambeth Council against an application to hold a rooftop bar on the site of First Direct along Pope’s Road in Brixton.

The MP for Dulwich and West Norwood is concerned that the demand for late night music, dancing and alcohol sales will impact on the lives of local residents who live nearby.

The application for Freight Brixton Rooftop will be considered by the Lambeth Licensing Sub-Committee when it meets at the Town Hall on 21 May.

Field Vision Bars is behind the plans. The company applied for:

“Provision of plays, films, live music, recorded music, dance performance, similar music/dance entertainment, provision of LateNight refreshments and sale of alcohol (on premises).”

The proposed opening hours are:

Monday – Thursday 14:00 – 23:00

Friday and Saturday 10:00 – 00:00

Sunday 10:00 – 23:00

Fifteen complaints were received against this application. Fourteen were from members of the public and one from the local MP.

Helen Hayes MP’s submission states:

“My constituents are concerned that, if this application to extend the outdoor music and food and alcohol license is granted, it will cause significant disruption to local residents, many of whom have bedrooms that face directly onto the premises which is the subject of the license. My constituents note that when this building was previously licensed like Brixton Beach, operators frequently applied for temporary licensed events which extended the noise disturbance to local residents much later into the night on a regular basis. They are very concerned that if this new license is granted, the same thing will happen again.

My constituents are also concerned that the growth and delay of licensed premises in central Brixton has also contributed in recent years to an increase in noise caused by unlicensed operators placing loudspeakers in the public domain in the surrounding streets . They are anxious that the impact of this noise should be taken into account when considering the cumulative impact of licensed premises and new or extended license applications.

The streets around Pope’s Road, Brixton Station Road and Valentia Place are already perceived as unsafe late at night due to violence associated with drug dealing, and residents and visitors to this area of ​​Brixton experience widespread anti-social behaviour. They are concerned that extending licensing hours will make this problem worse.

Finally, my constituents are concerned that information about this application has not been distributed to all local residents in the immediate area surrounding the premises subject to this application and that the licensing application does not work on Apple devices. I would be grateful if you could address this.

I am very concerned about this proposal and would be grateful if the views and concerns of my constituents could be fully taken into account when making a decision on this application.”

Previously, the site was used as part of the temporary bar Lost in Brixton. It’s also the same location where Hondo failed to get approval to build the Enormo Tower.