Manor house can continue with late-night parties
By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter
A manor house can carry on hosting late-night parties despite complaints.
Mum Christine Jones said revellers attending late-night parties at Belair House in Gallery Road, Dulwich, have caused her family sleepless nights for months.
She complained to the local authority about the events, but Southwark council chiefs allowed the Georgian house to continue hosting boozy ‘mansion parties’ as long as it warns Ms Jones beforehand.
Ms Jones said the manor house, a popular wedding venue, pivoted to holding club nights in autumn last year.
Speaking at the licensing meeting on March 24, she said: “It has been a massive disruption to my family and our day-to-day life.
“They line up outside my property and run a little bar because obviously they don’t want to buy drinks in Belair – it’s very expensive.”
Tom Bushell, representing Belair House, said the manor house was forced to begin hosting club nights due to a fall in income from weddings during the pandemic.
He said: “The promoted DJ events were and are undertaken out of business need and I make no apology for that fact.
“In an ideal world there would be so many weddings, parties and community events that there would be no need at all for promoted events.
“But we are not in an ideal world and they have been vital for this business and are still required in small numbers for it to be confident of thriving in the future.
“I want to say immediately how sorry the premises is to Ms Jones for the issues she’s faced in the past.
“Belair House is, at least by London’s standards, in a fairly isolated location.
“The only residential property close by is that belonging to the applicant. It operates primarily as an events space with weddings being its primary function. These are premium events.”
Pictured top: Belair House
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