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Tag: Westminister City Council

All the latest breaking news on Westminister City Council. Browse THEGAYUK’s complete collection of news, articles and commentary on Westminister City Council.

  • PETER TATCHELL | Is the LGBT community being screwed over by city council?

    Has LGBT Pride lost its way? This is a question more and more people were asking in the run up to Saturday’s Pride London parade.

    What began in 1972 as a protest for LGBT rights has now become an overly commercialised, bureaucratic and rule-bound event; which too often reflects the wishes of the city authorities, not the LGBT community.

    The admirable organisers, Pride in London, are being forced to operate with onerous controls and draconian costs. These have been imposed by the Mayor of London, Westminster Council and the Metropolitan Police, who have dictated conditions that mean a mere 26,500 people will be permitted to march on Saturday This is a fraction of the numbers who’d march if it was a free and open event.

    “LGBT organisations have to apply in three months advance,

    pay a fee and get wristbands for all their participants.

    The parade feels increasingly regimented, commodified and straight-jacketed”

    Nowadays, LGBT organisations have to apply in three months advance, pay a fee and get wristbands for all their participants. The parade feels increasingly regimented, commodified and straight-jacketed.

    The city authorities are also enforcing punitive costs for road closures, pavement barriers, policing and security. They cite safety concerns and the disruptive impact on West End businesses if the parade was allowed to be bigger. Commerce comes first, it seems. Pride must not interfere with making money.

    These excuses are nonsense. There are large political marches in central London, such as last Saturday’s anti-austerity demonstration. They are stung for none of the costs forced on Pride and have no safety problems. Equally, no similar restrictions are placed on the numbers at the Notting Hill Carnival, which is many times larger than Pride.

    The way Westminster Council treats LGBT Pride has a whiff of homophobia. It has a long history of perceived anti-gay bias. Some years ago it banned gay venues from flying the rainbow flag.

    Gay club owners have previously told me the council was unsupportive and seemed intent on degaying and sanitising Soho. Manbar felt victimised by Westminster and was forced out of business in 2015.

    Westminster is, of course, run by the Tories – a party that has done a ‘cash for power’ deal with the homophobic DUP in the north of Ireland. I don’t trust them.

    The dedicated, tireless Pride committee is held over a barrel. They might be permitted to increase the numbers on the parade but only if they stump up loads more cash to the council and police. Westminster council seems to think that the democratic right of the LGBT community to use its streets should come at a price. It even demands compensation for the suspension of parking bays!

    Royal Parks is no better. They won’t allow Pride to use Hyde Park. We are being screwed.

    Compared to 20 years ago, Pride has been dumbed down. For many people, it is now mostly a gigantic street party. Big corporations see it as a PR opportunity to fete LGBT consumers with their flashy floats. The ideals of LGBT equality are barely visible. Last year I counted only ten parade groups with a LGBT human rights message.

    It is sometimes claimed that Pride London is the biggest in the world. Not true. London is one of the smaller Prides in major European cities; being eclipsed in size by Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam and Madrid. Sao Paulo attracts three million people!

    In contrast, Pride London has 26,500 marchers and 80,000 spectators on the parade route. Trafalgar Square, the location of the end-of-parade rally, holds 20,000 people and the Soho streets that host satellite events, around 90,000. Many of these numbers are the same people at different locations. This suggests about 200,000 people in total at Pride; certainly not the one million claimed by the Mayor of London.

    This is smaller than earlier Prides in London. In 1997, over 100,000 people marched in the parade. It took nearly five hours to pass through Parliament Square. Close to 300,000 people attended the post-march festival on Clapham Common.

    Pride is, of course, more than the parade. There are 100-plus events over the Pride fortnight, ranging from concerts to films, sports, exhibitions and talks.

    Pride is staged by an amazing unpaid, all-volunteer team. Some corporate sponsorship is necessary. The parade and festival has to be funded. But are the corporates now too dominant?

    If Pride has gone adrift, we are all partly to blame for not being more involved with the organising committee and not standing up to the city authorities. Perhaps it’s time to revert to the LGBT liberation ethos of the first UK Pride in 1972? I was one of the organisers back then. I’ve marched in every Pride London parade since. This will be my 46th.

    1972 was a carnival march for LGBT human rights. It was political and fun; without all the restrictions, costs and red tape that are strangling Pride today.

    Let’s put liberation back at the heart of Pride; reclaim it as a political march with a party atmosphere. No limits on numbers and no motorised floats. This would dramatically cut costs and bureaucracy, and return Pride to its roots. We can still have a fabulous carnival atmosphere. It worked in 1972. Why not now?

    This is an edited version of an article that was originally published in The Guardian: http://bit.ly/2sPIGjL

    For more information about the Peter Tatchell Foundation and to make a donation: www.PeterTatchellFoundation.org

     

  • Yard Bar in Soho saved from the developers

    Yard Bar in Soho saved from the developers

    The historic Yard Bar in Soho has been saved after planning inspectors upheld Westminster City Council’s decision to protect it.

    The well-known LGBT venue in the heart of Soho found itself at risk, as the developer, Consolidated Property Corporation Limited, originally submitted plans to build flats over the courtyard area.

    Westminster City Council first blocked those plans in March 2015, but the developer submitted subsequent applications and launched two appeals that were finally rejected in the Planning Inspectorate on 10th August.

    In its final report, the appointed inspector described any move to build over the Yard’s courtyard as one which would “fundamentally alter” the character of the bar.

    The decision represents a full vindication of the council’s two-year battle to protect this much loved Soho bar, which received outstanding support from the local community and the bar’s owners, who led a high-profile ‘Save The Yard’ campaign.

    Cllr Robert Davis MBE DL, Westminster City Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Built Environment, said,

    “Soho is one of the most iconic areas of Westminster, with a unique character that everyone at the council is committed to protecting.”

    “The Yard is a jewel in Soho’s crown and I am thrilled that we have joined forces with the ward councillors and the local community to ensure it remains open for business.”

    “I am absolutely delighted that Westminster City Council has been able to play its part in saving this long-standing example of Soho’s history, culture and diversity.”

    The proposals for the development of three flats meant that the courtyard would have been enclosed beneath a glass roof, something which the Soho Society and Historic England also strongly objected to.

    This would mean the loss of an “extremely distinctive feature of the bar and its related culture” said the planning inspector.

    The Yard Bar’s owner, Andy Jones, led the “Save The Yard” campaign which brought the issue to even greater attention.

    He said,

    “It has been a very long battle and we are so delighted that we have been successful. The support we got from Westminster City Council, ward councillors, Historic England, Soho Society, heritage experts and the LGBT, business and residential communities was huge and unbelievable. We can’t thank everyone enough. Ultimately, all of their support helped to overcome the multiple applications and common sense has prevailed. Long live The Yard!”

  • London Gay Bar The Yard Safe For Now

    A London gay bar is safe as plans to turn the popular venue into luxury flats has been thrown out by Westminster council.

    London has lost a number of gay bars in the last 2 years including, Profile, Lower Profile, Green Carnation, The Black Cap, Manbar and Escape. The Yard, seemed to be next on the chopping block after a planning application to build flats above the site were lodged with Westminster Council.

    However, plans have now been rejected and a second proposal was withdrawn by the developer. The site has been designated as an area of historical importance as the site is the last carriage yard in the area. The venue is one of the only sites in Soho with a sky opening, making it possible to drink and smoke within its confines.

    Pinknews reports that Andy Jones, owner of The Yard, said:

    “It is a great relief that the second application has been withdrawn from the Council by the landlord. The application would have severally damaged the last remaining 19th Century stables in Soho.

    “I would like to thank everyone for their support towards the campaign.

    “Hundreds of objections were formally made against both applications by residents, customers and the greater Soho community.”

    Campaigners had sent over 600 messages to the council slamming the plans, which could have resulted in another London gay bar closing.

    It is not known if the developer plans to lodge anymore proposals.

  • London’s Manbar Loses Noise Complaint Against Westminster City Council

    Manbar has lost its appeal to keep its regulated entertainment licence, after resident, two floors up made noise complaints.

    In a statement released by Manbar, the popular venue’s management said that it had lost against Westminster City Council with regards to its ‘regulated entertainment license’, however it will remain open with its 3 AM alcohol sales license. This means that Manbar will remain in business, without music, despite the bar’s owners spending £25,000 on noise compliance.

    During the hearing, Westminster City Council served up their witnesses and the 1 tenant, who originally made the noise complaint. He was the the only person living near Manbar to give evidence.

    On day two of the hearing, the Court made a site visit to Manbar to witness both the sound levels within the venue and in the residency, two floors above – at maximum sound level.

    Chris Amos, the bar’s general manager said:
    ‘The bar will be applying for it’s regulated entertainment licence again in the near future with all the stipulations possible to safeguard the venue without causing any noise nuisance. Hopefully the council will grant us back our licence! Also the government recently deregulated entertainment before 11pm each day so we will offering early evening entertainment and currently working out the schedule for this.

    ‘Many thanks for the support through this case, luckily Manbar remains open – so be sure to come by for a drink.’

    Andrew Ralph, Westminster City Council’s Noise and Licensing Manager said in a statement to TheGayUK:

    ‘An independent judge has today ruled that Manbar has a long history of playing music that constitutes a public noise nuisance and disturbs residents. Westminster City Council is duty bound to address any public noise nuisance wherever it is found, whoever is making it – and that is all it has done here. Last year, the council agreed to a compromise – suggested by the owner – that Manbar’s right to play amplified music would be temporarily suspended until the necessary measures have been taken for it to be played at acceptable levels – levels that apply to every other licensee wanting to play music. After a sound-limiter was fitted, the noise level was found by officers to be acceptable. However, within a week, further complaints were received and the levels were once again found to be a statutory nuisance. The Court found that this was because externally amplified music was being played at Manbar.

    The result of the appeal means that Manbar must resolve the problems arising from noise nuisance, as they promised to do. If they are able to do that, Westminster City Council is ready to work with Manbar so that it can once again play amplified music.”

  • London’s Manbar risks closure by Westminster City Council

    Manbar, the iconic independent gay bar on Charing Cross Road will be forced to close if it loses a costly legal battle with Westminster City Council early in April.

    The bar, which is on the site of 79CXR, the legendary dance bar, which ran for eighteen years before being sold to gay entrepreneur Chris Amos, opened as Manbar in 2012.

    Since opening, Manbar has surged in popularity serving over 3000 customers a week and provided a unique and truly authentic gay space in central London.

    Repeated complaints from one resident two floors above the bar led to a licensing review last summer in which Westminster Council banned regulated entertainment (the playing of music) until such time as improvements were made. Manbar has appealed and has continued to trade pending the appeal hearing which comes before Westminster Magistrates on Monday 7th April 2014.

    In the mean time, expert advice has led to extensive works being carried out to ensure that noise nuisance, however slight, does not take place. Council officials have been involved in measuring, testing and have written to Manbar stating, ‘we are satisfied with the Sound Limiter setting, the sound limiter model and the way in which the system is now set up.’ But to no avail. Senior officers at Westminster refuse to see sense and compromise, insisting on pursuing the appeal.

    So successful has Manbar been in solving the problem that council officials could not detect any noise in the complainant’s flat. They even turned off the resident’s fridge and laptop in an attempt to hear noise.

    Whilst Manbar have been advised that they should win, if they lose they face a legal bill of up to £60,000.

    Is this fair? Should one resident’s complaint – that he can hear noise if he turns his fridge off – lead Westminster, with its draconian powers and seemingly unlimited financial muscle, to pursue and persecute tiny Manbar?

    Chris Amos is seeking support both from the gay scene and the general public to help fight off Westminster City Council.

    Today the ‘SAVE MANBAR’ campaign is being launch. Full details at www.manbarsoho.com

    Members of the public can show their support on Twitter and Facebook.