New Addington residents have expressed concerns that the use of a business park unit as a wedding venue could lead to noise and disruption.

Locals fear that by allowing the function hall to serve alcohol on the weekend, they may experience littering and anti-social behaviour, as the area has in the past following social events.

The licensing application comes from Global Talent Promotions (GTP), a New Addington-based company, that has operated out of 16 Addington Business Centre on Vulcan Way for the past year.

The venue uses the BizSpace unit alongside a host of other businesses and holds ad-hoc events throughout the week, which include wedding parties, graduation events and cultural gatherings. 

Whilst GTP has been running events for the past year, it now wants to expand its operation by serving alcohol from 11 am to 1:30 am on Fridays and Saturdays, as well as providing live and recorded music throughout the week.

This would mean the venue could be serving alcohol while the other businesses were still operating.   

This was one of the issues that was discussed in front of Croydon Council’s licensing committee today (August 21).

During the hearing, committee members heard how some New Addington residents worried granting the licence would lead to noise and disruption.

New Addington resident Kirsty Pearce lives near the business park, situated just off King Henry’s Drive at the top of New Addington.

She believed the location of the venue meant it was unsuitable to hold such large-scale events.

Pearce told the committee: “The actual positioning of this venue means it will be slap bang in a unit called BizSpace, that stands on its own. It has thriving businesses operating within, including an accountancy firm and MOT opposite it.

“[There are] humongous heavy vehicles up and down the main drag 30 seconds from this venue. Adding alcohol to the mix is not a good idea.”

Pearce also pointed out that the area was quite poorly connected by public transport, with only a nearby bus stop serving it after hours.

However, GTP representative Rebecca Nalwanga told the committee that most of the guests attending would have already organised their transport home before leaving the venue. 

Pearce also told the committee of her concerns over the prospect of children running outside of the venue and near this dangerous traffic.

However, Nalwanga attempted to assuage these fears by ensuring that all children in attendance must be accompanied by an adult.

Fellow New Addington resident Clair McGee also spoke against the application. McGee has worked at the MB Motors repair garage in the business park for the past 35 years. 

While McGee and Pearce acknowledged that GTP was in no way responsible for previous instances of anti-social behaviour, they stood firm in their belief that they did not want alcohol-fuelled events in the business park.

In her closing statement, McGee said: “This is an industrial estate, we’re trying to make a commercial business. I understand that is a business but it’s not the right environment.

“It’s not somewhere to walk around, it’s completely the wrong area for it. To add alcohol to it is just crazy.”

The application has also attracted the attention of other New Addington residents, who shared their varying opinions of the venue on a local Facebook group.

While some echoed McGee’s views on disruption, others spoke of how a new venue would be good for the area, which currently lacks late-night entertainment options.

When asked by Councillor and committee member Ian Parker what her reasons for setting up the venue in the business park were, Nalwanga said she felt the community “needed a venue.” 

According to Nalwanga, GTP will also provide employment opportunities for people in New Addington. The venue provides its own sound-limited DJ and Ugandan house band, with guests only expected to bring food. 

She told the committee: “We have put measures in place, we have been there for a year and there haven’t been any complaints. We have held weddings and graduations, and have family and community gatherings there.”

Under the proposed licence, the venue would be able to host 100 ticketed guests and operate seven days a week.

The sale of alcohol will only be permitted between 11 am and 1:30 am on Friday and Saturday, although Nalwanga believes most guests would not usually arrive until after 6 pm on those days.

“We believe we are doing all the right things so we don’t make the same mistakes as the other venue made in the past. We should be given a chance.”

The sub-committee will publish a decision on whether GTP is to receive its license within five working days of the hearing.