The Dulwich Society

Private events in Dulwich Park

The Council is currently consulting over a food and music themed event planned for Dulwich Park over a three-day weekend 3rd-5th July 2020. Promoted by an events company, Brand Events TM Limited, it is called ‘Pubinthepark’, and will be hosted by celebrity chef Tom Kerridge. It is one of a series of ‘PitP’ events to be held at various locations across the country (there were eight this year in locations such as St Albans, Marlow and Chiswick). They plan to run a total of four sessions over the weekend in Dulwich, Friday & Saturday evenings and Saturday & Sunday afternoons, each session accommodating up to 3,500 ticket holders. There will be chef demos, food and drink tasting, trading stalls and a programme of live music. The website www.pubintheparkuk.com gives a taster of what could be on offer. If successful, the organiser will want to repeat the event in subsequent years.

This is the largest event ever planned in Dulwich Park and, whatever one’s views of what is on offer, there is little doubt that local residents who live near the park will be affected by noise, increased traffic and parking, and possibly road closures – the organisers say that they will tell ticket purchasers that access is best by public transport but they cannot insist. Tickets are £35-£45 per person per session (with some premium tickets at £95 each!) with food and drink on top of that. The choice of Dulwich Park is clearly because the organisers see the area as a relatively wealthy demographic who would not only be interested on the offer but could afford to pay for it. They say that there will be opportunities for local traders and businesses to participate but it is likely that current park businesses like the recumbent cyclists, the boats on the lake, and the park cafe will be adversely affected. And are the organisers fully aware of the extent of the flood alleviation works that the Council installed a few years ago?

But there is a more fundamental question, should a public park be used for private events of this sort, with their high entry cost, effectively locking out a large number of less wealthy park users many of them coming from elsewhere in Southwark and who would not be able to afford it, from a substantial area of the Park for over 10 days (including set up and take down) in the middle of summer. This type of restricted access event brings into question Southwark Council’s policy of earning additional revenue by permitting private events in what is a public park. The organisers will pay a fee, though we have not been told what it is, and there will also be a bond, amount unknown, paid up front to cover any damage to the park – many members will recall what happened in Peckham Rye two years ago. We are told that 10% of the hire fee will apparently be ring-fenced for projects in the park. However, The Society believes that as the park is held by Southwark on statutory trust under the Open Spaces Act 1906, any income it receives for the use of the park can only be used for the purpose of maintenance and improvement of the park and for no other purpose, - a fact which Southwark is choosing to ignore.

Deadlines for comments on the grant of either the events licence or the premises licence (i.e. for licensable activities such as the sale of alcohol and the provision of live music) are 11thDecember and 13th December.

Potential impact of proposed increases in aircraft from Heathrow and London city airports for Dulwich and all residents in South East London

London City Airport
On roughly 40% of days the airport flies a low altitude (under 2000ft) concentrated path over Dulwich, controversially introduced in 2016. The airport wants to almost double flights over SE London, fly more planes early morning and late evening, and remove the 24hr ban on flights from midday Saturday to midday Sunday. The airport claims that its aircraft will be quieter in the future, but there is recent clear evidence from measuring the so called 'new generation' aircraft noise over Lambeth that on their low flight path over SE London homes the difference will not be perceptible.

London City Airport Masterplan consultation: www.londoncityairport.com/..
This sets out their perspective and consultation is open until 18 Oct. A simple letter supporting or opposing the Masterplan is all that is required.

The London Assembly environment committee has published authoritative and very accessible reports on the issues: www.london.gov.uk/..

London Heathrow
The Heathrow third runway arguments will be better known to Dulwich Society members, and it is London Heathrow planes that disturb many from 4.30 am and end at 11.30pm, sometimes later, and these are much larger aircraft. Heathrow expansion is represented by some as effectively building a new airport the size of Gatwick alongside the current Heathrow airport. Concerns are that this will massively increase plane numbers over all parts of London with consequent additional noise and emissions.

Heathrow's own website contains plenty of information on the Airport's perspective.

For those interested to understand different perspectives the Teddington Action Group (TAG) has developed well researched information focused on Heathrow noise, aircraft emissions over populated areas and environmental issues. http://www.teddingtonactiongroup.com/

Climate Change, emissions and air travel
Many Dulwich residents will be noticing the recent tone of debate changing concerning air travel with debate opening about stopping airport expansion, reducing demand through taxation on fuel, flight shame, holidaying without air travel and so on. The voices of those concerned about carbon, particulate emissions are adding very much to the concerns of the overflown about increasingly intrusive noise as the aviation industry continues to pursue expansion. For many, the climate emergency is reason alone to oppose expansion of airports. For Londoners, the two in plain sight are Heathrow and London City. Claims by both to be heading towards carbon neutral businesses only go as far as the airport's ground operations and do not account for aircraft emissions. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has recently advised the Government that aviation will become the biggest source of carbon in the UK by 2050 and that expansion at Heathrow leaves very little room for growth at any other airport.

The No 3rd runway Coalition also holds excellent information. LB Southwark is a member, but not Lambeth or Lewisham. https://www.no3rdrunwaycoalition.co.uk/

AirportWatch, concerned about unsustainable aviation http://www.airportwatch.org.uk/

The response from the Forest Hill Society is here.
www.foresthillsociety.com/..

The response from campaign group HACAN East sets out reasons why expansion should be resisted. documentcloud.adobe.com/..

Most Councils that are affected by aircraft noise have written opposing the airport's plans. Waltham Forest’s reasoning drive.google.com/..

New Foundation School Coach routes

These began on Tuesday 19 November. Coach timings in the morning have been brought forward by 10 mins to allow sufficient time for pupils to make the different school registration times. Pupils of Dulwich College and Dulwich Prep are dropped on College Road north at or close to the P4 bus stop between 0750 to 0805. College staff manage the crossing of pupils over the South Circular. The coaches will continue north along College Road to JAGS and Alleyn’s, where the drop-off locations are unchanged. The afternoon run will be the same in reverse, except the coaches will pick up College boys on the South Circular.

General Election 12 December

Dulwich & West Norwood constituency candidates are:

Jonathan Bartley (Green Party)
Helen Hayes (Labour Party)
Anthony Hodgson (Christian Peoples’ Alliance)
Jane Lyons (Conservative Party)
John Plume (UK Independence Party)
Julia Stephenson (Brexit Party)

New Village Yoga Studio

The Dulwich Estate has submitted a planning application to convert the former Park Motors unit on the corner of Boxall Road into a yoga studio. Planning ref: 19/AP/6544