police plea for help in reducing off licenses & betting shops in Peckham

The local police want our help to reduce the numbers of off-licenses and betting shops given permission to operate in Peckham, because they prey on the vulnerable in a time of economic hardship. Sgt Emma Dickinson of The Lane Safer Neighbourhood Team asks us to email her our opinions, our experiences in the area and any complaints. Email her at emma.hart@met.police.uk.

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another betting shop – object!

This new betting shop application, for 96 Peckham High St, follows hot on the heels of another one on the corner of Bournemouth Road and Rye Lane – where it would take over two brand new retail units. It looks as if there are three betting shops already, and this would bring it to five. There has to be a limit to how many there can be in Peckham town centre. Email objections to: dorcas.mills@southwark.gov.uk

Rye Lane new betting shop – meeting 8 May 7.30pm

There is an application to open a betting shop in the brand new retail units on the corner of Bournemouth Road and Rye Lane. It is right opposite a William Hill betting shop. There are concerns about that because of the effect of more betting shops on local people, and that this is not the kind of improved and diverse retail we thought the news about the restoration of Peckham Rye station would bring. Please see further information about this below.

Stop the Strip Clubs in New Cross

Peckham residents successfully resisted the opening of a lap dancing club on Peckham High Street. See the information below, from the New Cross campaign to Stop the Strip. Please pass this on to anyone you know who may not want strip clubs to spread and not on the doorstep of Peckham. Communities need to support each other against this encroachment.

STOP THE STRIP!
http://www.stopthestrip.org/4901.html

The White Hart Pub is right at the heart of New Cross Gate in an NDC regeneration area. Is this the regeneration we want or need?
The aim of the STOP THE STRIP group is to see an end to the licensing of Lap Dancing clubs in the New Cross area. We believe in the rights of women working in the Lap Dancing industry, and related industries and for them to be treated with respect and dignity. Campaigning against the establishment of this Lap Dancing venue does not constitute an attack against the individual women working there. This is not an anti-sex campaign but rather a campaign by a range of local people who are concerned about the establishment of these clubs in residential areas. We believe our area, New Cross, deserves better. Women working in modelling and sex industries are often treated poorly and their rights often breached. As a group we believe all workers have the right to Unionise and seek support when they are being exploited. We would extend support to any and all women working in the venue.

STOP THE STRIP will work actively on three fronts:
1) Monitor the running and impact of the White Hart in terms of any breach of its licence and the potential growth in criminal activity and particularly crimes against women.
2) Alert local residents to the existence of the club.
3) Actively and vocally campaign against this exploitative establishment.
Evidence suggests that when venues were introduced in Camden, incidence of rape increased dramatically. The image of areas that play host to Lap Dancing venues is broadly negative: New Cross is already battling with negative images. There are many people in the area who feel strongly about this issue and we want to bring everyone together to make our voice heard collectively.
COME AND JOIN US !

IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO PUBLISH YOUR MESSAGE OF SUPPORT PLEASE E-MAIL US AT info@stopthestrip.org
http://www.stopthestrip.org.uk/

STOP THE STRIP!

Support the Peckham Saturation Zone extension.

Council proposals for control of licensing in Peckham Town centre
Council arranged meeting
TUESDAY 19 MAY 2009, 7pm – 8.30pm
at the Unity Centre, 37-39 Peckham High Street, SE15 5EB.

The email below from local residents gives information about the Council proposals, and seeks other residents’ support for the proposals. A map of the proposed extension is available here . If you live in the current zone, the proposed extension, or in nearby streets, or care about the future of Peckham town centre, you will be interested in this.
______________________________________________
——- Forwarded message follows ——-
Dear Peckham resident,
Have you ever heard stories of shootings and stabbings at bars and clubs in Peckham? Perhaps you have suffered personally from problems of violent disorder or noise nuisance at or around licensed premises in Peckham. Have you ever wondered why the council doesn’t do something about these problems? Well now is your chance to make sure they do, by making your voice heard.
 
If you live in or around Peckham Town Centre and you believe that the council should have greater powers to combat crime, disorder and nuisance caused by licensed premises in the area, then please act now to support the proposed extension to the Peckham Saturation Zone.
 
What is the saturation zone?
The Saturation Zone gives the council greater powers to limit the number of licensed premises within the zone.  
The effect of the saturation zone is to factor in the issue of cumulative impact (lots of licensed premises within a concentrated area) when considering license applications within the zone. 
Under the 2003 licensing act, any application for an alcohol or entertainment license should be granted unless it can be demonstrated that it will breach one of the four licensing objectives (prevention of crime & disorder, public safety, prevention of nuisance and prevention of harm to children). 
Within the saturation zone, however, whenever an interested party makes a representation against a new license application, it is down to the applicant to prove that the proposed license will not add to existing problems caused by licensed premises in the area. 
In other words, the default position within the saturation zone is to refuse a license application whenever an objection is raised to it.  
The existing saturation zone has already been used to prevent at least one night club on Rye Lane being given a late-night license. The extension will ensure that residents south and west of the zone are given the same protection.
 
Does this mean my local pub could be shut down?
No. The saturation zone has no effect on exisiting licenses, only new applications.
But if a license is revoked due to breach of licensing conditions, then any application for a new license at the same premises will be affected by the saturation zone. In effect, this will make it more difficult for problem premises to re-apply for revoked licenses.
 
What areas are affected?
The current saturation zone stretches from just north of Peckham High Street to Choumert Road/ Bournemouth Rd north-to-south, and from Consort Rd to Sumner Rd/ Bellenden Rd east-to-west. 
The extension will stretch to Talfourd Road/ Lyndhurst Way on the west side and McDermott Rd/ Bernhall Lane/ Heaton Rd on the south side.  
A map of the proposed extension is available at
www.southwark.gov.uk/Uploads/FILE_42065.pdf 

How do I make my voice heard?
Download the questionaire on the Saturation Zone extension at
www.southwark.gov.uk/Uploads/FILE_41779.pdf and return it to the council licensing department. 
Only those living within the saturation zone area or in surrounding streets are entitled to respond to the consultation.

More details
Full details of the proposed extension are available at www.southwark.gov.uk/businesscentre/licensing/licensingnewsupdate 
Saturation zone extension meeting
There is a meeting to discuss the proposed saturation zone extension on Tuesday 19 May 2009, between 7pm and 8.30pm at the Unity Centre, 37-39 Peckham High Street, London SE15 5EB. Call the licensing team on 020 7525 5748 to reserve a place at the meeting.

Who is behind this e-mail?
Tim and Alison Irwin. We live on Peckham High Street and, unfortunately, we have considerable experience of the negative impact badly-run licensed premises and over-generous licensing hours can have on residents’ quality of life, having lived near to the M’Balax nightclub on Peckham High Street for 18 months, until it was closed down following a triple shooting. 
We believe the saturation zone extension will help prevent similar problems within the extension area in the future. We can be contacted at timirwin789@hotmail.co.uk
 
Once again, if this is an issue that concerns you, please visit the Southwark website and make your voice heard. 
Yours faithfully,
Tim and Alison Irwin.
 

license application for Blue Bar 14 Peckham High St

This will be of interest to anyone who lives in the vicinity of Peckham High Street, or uses Peckham High Street as a bus passenger, shopper, or is a visitor for any reason to that part of the town centre. It is a further bar licensing application for premises which have caused severe trouble before.
Local residents who live near the premises have compiled a list of reasons for objecting to the license application (see below) and hope that others who live near or who use Peckham High Street will support them in their opposition. Objections have to be submitted by 4th February. See all details below.

For further information, and a cc of your objection, please email:
– local residents: specialskool@hotmail.co.uk and
– Cllr Gordon Nardell: gordon.nardell@southwark.gov.uk
For Council information: click here
________________________________________________
This is the format for an objection:
send by email to: licensing@southwark.gov.uk

Licence number: 828963
Dear Sir/Madam,
I object to the proposed premises licence of ‘Blue Bar’ at 14 Peckham High
Street SE15 5DT for the following reasons:
• The proposed licensed premises are within a Saturation Zone. As part of Southwark’s Saturation Policy, in such areas it is for the applicant to demonstrate reasons why a licence should be awarded. The application does not do this.
• The prevention of public nuisance: There are many residential units in close proximity to 14 Peckham High Street. If a licence were granted, noise from patrons entering and exiting the premises, and from music would adversely affect the quality of life of residents in the area to an unacceptable extent.
• The prevention of crime and disorder: There is insufficient information in the application on how the applicant plans to overcome the significant crime and disorder issues which have historically been associated with the premises.
• Public safety: There is insufficient information in the application on how the applicant plans to overcome public safety concerns which have historically been associated with the premises (discharging of firearms inside and outside the premises)
• The licence sought is for the premises and can therefore be leased on. I am very concerned about mismanagement and abuses of any potential licence, as has been the case in the past when the premises was licensed and sub-let/leased. Without detailed information about the credentials of who the premises may be leased or sub-let to, I object to this application.
Yours faithfully,
name
address
date
___________________________________________________
Representations can be sent to the following by 4th February 2009 –
MUST include name, address, date:
By email: licensing@southwark.gov.uk
By post (signature needed if sent by post or fax) :
Southwark Council
Licensing Unit
Chaplin Centre
Thurlow Street, London  SE17 2DG
By fax transmission: 020 7525 5705