The Marylebone Association

POLICE

The Association has been represented at the regular meetings of the two Police Ward Panels (Marylebone High Street and Bryanston & Dorset Squares) that provide forums to discuss the levels and types of reported crimes in our areas; the actions being taken to reduce crime levels; and the ways in which we can personally avoid being victims of crime. At each of the meetings panel members and the police representatives identify the target priorities to be addressed during the following period.

Crime statistics show that snatching bags and items such as mobile phones in crowded places where people have their minds on other things is the most common type of crime. Many cafes and bars have installed hooks on the undersides of tables to which bags and packages can be safely attached and that offer some protection against criminals.

Burglaries from buildings, including private residences, especially those without burglar alarms, and from motor vehicles also register high in the numbers of recorded crimes. Bicycles offer easy pickings for serious or casual bicycle thieves as most common locking devices are easy to break. At the end of the day though, it is very often our too casual approach for our own property that allows opportunistic crimes to happen. Vigilance is the only real answer.

The Association values highly the links with the police and these opportunities to share ideas on making Marylebone such a good place to live and work.

LICENSING

Over the last 12 months we have continued to monitor all new and variation licence applications made to Westminster City Council. In most cases, our representation has been given serious consideration by the Council's Licensing Committee and our objections have been upheld for the most part.

It is our purpose to ensure that licensed premises do not cause distress to residents through their late opening hours. Loud noise levels from either inside the premises or from patrons leaving or from staff placing empty bottles and rubbish outside late at night, are unacceptable. We are also concerned about the effects of crowding on the pavements which cause pedestrians to have to walk in the road.

Licences are granted subject to caveats covering items such as noise levels, particularly in the early hours; the number of tables and chairs outside of bars etc; they are all the responsibility of the licensee. And yet these issues are precisely the ones that cause annoyance to members when these conditions are flouted. But residents do not have to live with these problems. Westminster City Council has dedicated ‘Noise Phone Lines' that are manned 24 hours and all calls are logged, even anonymous calls! The Council will, whenever possible, send its officers to investigate every noise but, should that always not be possible, the fact that calls to the noise lines have been made will cause the problem venue to be investigated. The recommendation is to make complaints, as appropriate, on all occasions, and preferably on an organised basis, as the more complaints the greater will be the follow-up action.

Happily, most licensed premises meet the Council's criteria and offer excellent levels of service in the true community spirit.

Keith Stuart-Smith

During the past months, members have shown their increasing concern over the number of new license applications for bars and restaurants to have late night opening hours in what until now have been primarily residential areas. We have been mainly successful in stopping, or at least limiting excessive opening hours, so that local residents are not disturbed late in the evening. There have been applications for late opening hours in the High Street area and we are especially concerned over applications for restaurants to remain open until 3am and 5am respectively, in the Edgware Road area.

We have been concerned over the last couple of years, since the smoking ban came into law, of the crowding problems on pavements outside of licensed premises that required pedestrians to step into the road, in order to pass. At this cold time of the year, smokers and others in any case spend less time outside but this problem has, we believe, become less with the onus on licensees to control the activities of customers. If there are incidences of crowding or noise, members are requested either to complain directly to Westminster Licensing Department directly or to the Marylebone Association Licensing representative via This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .