Zanzibar- Public Meeting about licence extension

The Zanzibar Night Club (at 291 Kirkdale – between LA Fitness and the petrol station) is appealing Lewisham’s decision to curtail its licence (currently ending at 5am) to 2am.

The four day Appeal hearing will be at Bromley Magistrate’s Court from 16th to 20th September 2014.  At the hearing between four and eight residents will be called as witnesses.

The Lewisham Licensing team is holding a public meeting (details above) and is asking for further evidence of continuing nuisance to be supplied by local residents. This will  be added to evidence already be collected by them and the Police Licensing Officer.

• Tel: 020 8314 2299

• Email: noiseandnuisance@lewisham.gov.uk

Additionally any evidence pertinent to the appeal should also go to licensing@lewisham.gov.uk

The new Zanzibar manager maintains the 5am licence is crucial to his business and attended the 23 July meeting to tell residents of the measures in place to mitigate the nuisance, and the following facts and conclusions became apparent:

• The capacity of the club is 890 (c 300 cars)

• Larger events attract around 600 (c 200 cars)

• Smaller events attract around 300 (c 100 cars)

• Events will be held every Saturday night

• Events will be held on every other Friday night

• The larger events are causing problems further afield inc Westwood Hill and the top of Kirkdale

• The post 5am problems include nuisance whilst waiting for the first Overground train & 6am opening of the drink shop in Sydenham Road

• Is Zanzibar doing all they can to control nuisance?

• Is the best being done good enough?

The key question is whether a large club which draws most of its customers leaving other nightclubs with 2am closures should be located in the middle of a residential community where residents will have their sleep disturbed through the night all weekend?

The problem of Zanzibar stewards requiring evidence from residents living in adjacent roads before they are allowed into their own roads was also discussed and deemed illegal and unacceptable to residents. However the manager maintained that without this control the residents would suffer from patrons parking and other nuisance.

The decision taken at Bromley Magistrate’s court in September will be immediate. The owner’s only further course of action would be to apply for judicial review.