Residents fear ‘student drinking destination’ will open just metres from their homes
By Owen Sheppard, local democracy reporter
Hammersmith residents fear that a “late night student drinking destination” looks set to be built metres from their homes.
Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s licensing committee has given Whitbread a licence to open a bar with 160 covers at their yet-to-be-built Premier Inn in Talgarth Road.
The bar and hotel would be housed in the smaller of two buildings that have planning permission for the site of the former magistrates’ court.
On May 18 the committee gave the company permission to sell alcohol from the new venue until 11.30pm to non-hotel guests, Monday to Sunday.
There were 36 objections from residents who fear it will attract hundreds of students from a 20-storey student halls block that landlord Dominvs Group also hopes to build at the site.
Ludolph Van Hasselt, chair of Save Our Hammersmith Action Forum, told the committee: “This would be highly disturbing to local residents…
“A high number of occupants on the site from the hotel and the students together would make this a late night drinking destination. I don’t think that’s how the planning application for the development for this site was conceived.”
Abel Hadden, chair of the Margravine Gardens and St Dunstan’s Road Residents Association, said: “Many of the homes nearest to this proposal have young children.
“The concern for local residents is for nearly 700 students having a late night drinking opportunity presented to them, who wouldn’t go and enjoy that?”
A spokesperson for Whitbread told the committee that a 24/7 off licence already exists at a nearby BP garage.
He stressed that the venue, which has won permission to show films until late, will “not be a cinema”.
“We are Premier Inn of 800 premises around the country… we are good neighbours to all of our neighbours in all of our sites and we have never had enforcement action taken against us,” the spokesman said.
Councillor PJ Murphy, who is this year’s mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham, also told the committee: “This is the most objected to licensing application I have experienced…
“They simply want to be able to have a good night’s sleep, to not have noise and reduce the impact on them.”
The meeting heard that Whitbread expects its new hotel and cinema to be built by late 2023.
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
