Thanks for your response Roy, that would be great, but actually I have now begun to think that the situation could be worse than we thought and I really think we need to start mounting an opposition.

Last night, as I'm sure you are all aware, the noise coming from the colleage was pretty horrific. Normally I would have been happy to sleep on my sofa for a one-off event, but on a weeknight, when I am working horrendous hours, I find it a bit much that they were granted a late license. (I did telephone the council to complain about that point by the way).

In addition to this, I heard and saw plenty of kids screaming around the front of Waldegrave Park last night and saw many kids when I was on my way home at 9pm, who were going to this event, many of whome were clearly not students.

My main concern now is that if a late license is granted, unless it is extremely closely policed by the college (and given last night's events, I strongly doubt this), it will invite an element of visitors to the area, of the kind that is seen often in Richmond, who are attracted by the ability to drink late. That will lead to the end of Strawberry Hill's reputation as a quiet enclave....

Also, the music was so loud last night that it was impossible to sleep, and if they are granted a late license, what guarantee is there that the music (specifically the bass which was absolutely horrendous) will be controlled? Regardless of the day of the week, we all need our sleep and I expect that residents with children will be even more keen to oppose this license.

I'm new to all of this but would be keen to get involved if we have support. Eugene, do you have any ideas what we can do? I think the evidence of last night will give us a head start?
Look forward to hearing from you. I'm extremely busy at work right now so I don't get to get into this site much so if anybody has any suggestions, please could you copy my hotmail address which is, mumford_sarah@hotmail.com
Thanks and regards.
Sarah

Too late!

I am going to the licensing session in York House today (Thursday)at 12.30, being the only person invited to make a 5-minute representation. I can only refer to my individual objection officially, but after I had emailed it I wrote down what I would say to the licensing committee, passed it round Clive Road, and within hours every available person had signed it, except two who work in the college. So I shall try to describe myself as a representative.

I doubt if it wil have much effect, but we will see. Document attached. But for your email we wouldn't have got this far, of course, so thanks.
Ray Waddington-Jones


< replied-to message removed by QT >

I don't think my attachment got through, so here it is unattached.
Ray Waddington-Jones

Meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee in York House, Thursday 22nd September at 12.30 p.m.

Submission by Mr R. and Mrs B. Waddington-Jones, 16 Clive Road.

We apologise for the lateness of this objection to St MaryÂ’s application for a drinking and entertainment licence until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and until midnight on the other days of the week, rather than 11 p.m. until now. We registered an objection on our own behalf just in time, but since then we have consulted with residents of the north side of Clive Road and now ask the committee to regard it as a group objection rather than an individual one. There is no objection to the other sections of the application.

I quote a sentence from Planning Committee last April when it considered the expansion of the halls of residence, now completed: “Members’ chief concern was over the proximity of the southernmost hall to residential properties near the south-east corner of the site”. Those properties are in Clive Road.
Clive Road is quite close to the Union bar, but you will know that noise is not a problem in a bar so much as outside it when clients leave. Few students will head for public transport after 1 a.m., or for cars if they have been drinking until that hour; the late licence will attract those who only have to head for the halls of residence, now doubled in size and capacity, across the college fields.

In Clive Road we are well accustomed to occasional outbursts of shouts, shrieks and merriment between 11 am and midnight. We are not killjoys and donÂ’t make serious objection. But it seems that in future there will be twice as many students crossing the field, and any disturbance will be between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on two days, and after midnight the rest of the week, if the application succeeds. This is an entirely different matter.
Not many students are aware that there are houses with people, including children, sleeping in them only yards away. We think dancing and drinking to the early hours twice a week is inappropriate in a residential area. Anyone who wants late night activity at the weekend can find plenty in Richmond and other nearby towns.

We urge the sub-committee to amend the application and end the licence at 11 p.m. on every day of the week as at present.

Signed by residents of Clive Road:

Thanks for this Roy. I'm sorry to have been so useful. Work commitments I'm afraid so thanks for making such an effort. I guess if they get the license we will just have to monitor noise and hope that it doesn't get too bad.
Regards.
Sarah

I meant to say useless - as clearly I haven't been terribly useful on this!

I am one of the councillors for South Twickenham. I have just been given this address and read your comments. If you want to email me personally I am on cllr.chead@richmond.gov.uk.
Regarding licensing I am speaking on behalf of some residents in Hampton Road when the Prince Albert comes up for renewal on Thursday 29th September.
I am also holding a public meeting on Transport issues in Strawberry Hill on Monday October 17th at 8 pm. I am trying to organise the venue in one of the rooms in St. Mary's.
Also you might like to come along to the Area Consultation Meeting at St. Mary's College on Weds Nov 2nd when there will be a more general agenda. The agenda is decided in advance by you! So do email me and I will arrange it.
We could, for example, arrange to have a Licensing Officer to explain how you can organise opposition to establishments with (in your opinion) inappropriate timings for opening and selling alcohol. Or if you want to speak to me just ring on 020 8977 7789. Look forward to hearing from you. Clare

Thanks very much Clare. I have been out of the country so only just read your message. I will contact you by email when I'm back in the office.
Kind regards.

Can someone update the website with the outcome of the St Mary's late licence application?

Thanks

Richard, I'm fairly sure it was rejected. I have certainly heard no noice and I live very close to the college. There was a list of those licences awarded published in the Evening Standard and there were none in Teddington and very few in Twickenham. I can't remember the statistics, but the number of licence applications received in Richmond was, not surprisingly very large compared to those which were granted....

Do you love babies and toddlers or know someone who does ?
Someone local, retired or a teenager who likes babies ?

I hope this is an appropriate place; but I am looking for someone, who would enjoy playing with twin babies (that I am expecting in December) OR my sweet little three year old daughther Eva ??
( I am quite a strict and old-fashioned a mother, so she is always well-behaved, and says her 'please's and 'thank you's )

I do not work, and so I would be doing ALL the work like feeds and nappy changes.... so aomeone else can do just do PLAYING and having fun ?
 
Just one hour a week, or as much as you want.
Apologies if this is not a suitable place for this kind of message, but I'd like to find a local person/neighbour to us, as we live in Strawberry Hill.

Was anybody else kept awake by the horrendous noise coming from the College last night? I have written to the Council complaining about a late licence being granted on a Monday but we have received a letter from the President of the Union (usual stuff, they will deal with the noise and respect the neighbours but frankly last year it was pretty bad on numerous occasions)and I'm worried that she specifically talks about Monday nights and the effort she will make to keep the noise down - has anyone else got issues with this??

I was very fustrated to discover this week that the Wellesley Rd playground had been vandalised over the weekend. I take both my young children to this playground every day as my eldest goes to St.James school, which is adjacent. In this fantastic weather many families use the facility every day, especially at end of school. I left the playground in horror on Monday as my 18mnth old baby attempted to pick up a used condom. all the equipment and available floor space had been covered in graffiti and there was broken glass (gin bottles) and rubbish everywhere. I phoned the council and the police to report this (the only one apparently) and to their credit the playground was cleaned up the next day. I am concerned though about why this is happening and what we can do as a community to help occupy some teenagers who have apparently nothing better to do than create wanton vandalism?

I was disappointed to read the latest Bulletin article about the St James's Church extension application. It presented only the viewpoint of a few residents who are opposed to the plans, not that of the many residents who attend the church and the benefits that the proposed extension would bring to the parish and the community. The planned extension would bring the church itself into compliance with numerous building codes, provide a social space for the parish after services and a safe place to hold Sunday school during services. Most of the outnon-parish users of the current hall could use the new, improved hall on the church site instead. The parish does not really need a space of that size and there are numerous other drafty old church halls in Twickenham that can be hired if this one is rendered unavailable. It is my understanding that several of the most vocal objectors are parish members who are using the planning objection procedure because they are opposed to the parish selling off one of its only two solid assets. The planning department is no place for that dispute.

If you would like to present both sides of this issue, I am sure Father Ulick would be happy to speak to you or write something for the newsletter.

Things are getting worse at Strawberry Hill station; at least three times in the last month the ticket office has been unmanned on a weekday morning. The queues at the solitary ticket machine have in consequence been enormous and passengers have either missed their train or boarded without a ticket, trusting to the goodwill of SWT staff (a rare commodity).

Why on earth SWT can't send one of the many mobile ticket staff who hover sround Twickenham station down? And when are we getting the promised second machine?

Can SHRA do any lobbying with SWT?

SHRA will take Mr Rankin's Complaints up with SWT. Will advise the outcome.

SWT apologize for the problems encountered by passengers wishing to buy tickets on Tuesday 20 November when the booking office was closed during the morning rush hour. They are well aware of the problems caused by closure at this time of day and do all they can to avoid it. If it should recur please could you let me know how it is handled. Joe.Brett@shra.org.uk