Greenwich's Borough Hall has retained its licence to operate following a formal review, though it will now have to close parties an hour earlier on Saturdays. The decision by Greenwich Council's Licensing Review Sub-Committee on December 8 comes after multiple residents of neighbouring Peyton Place complained of significant late-night noise and public nuisance.
Residents' Pleas Over 'Severe' Night-Time Disturbance
The review was triggered by local councillor Pat Slattery, who submitted a wealth of evidence from residents, including emails, phone logs, photos, and videos. The complaints centred on the "public nuisance on a significant scale" allegedly caused by patrons leaving events at the hall, which reopened as a multi-use venue in early 2025 after lying vacant for seven years.
One resident, Brian Lo, told the committee that revellers had shouted through his flat window on several occasions. He claimed the venue's manager had even instructed patrons "to ignore" him rather than address the noise. "The impact on my family life has been severe," Mr Lo stated. "We have a newborn baby who has been repeatedly woken up late at night by shouting, whistling and crowd noise."
Another Peyton Place resident, Caroline Lessner, said the relationship with the hall's operator, Eden Events, had "broken down." While supportive of daytime community events, she emphasised that the night-time issues had pushed neighbours too far. Daniel Bygrave from the council's Community Protection Team confirmed his unit had received 29 noise complaints this year, mostly from the same street, describing scenes of "chaos" when events finished.
Venue's Defence: Jobs and Regeneration at Stake
Representing Eden Events, solicitor Gary Grant argued the review was "remarkable" given the premises licence was granted less than a year ago, in January 2025. He contended that neighbours' objections to a late-night venue had already been fully considered at that time.
Mr Grant warned that accepting Cllr Slattery's request for a three-month suspension and reduced hours would force the hall to close, resulting in the loss of 60 jobs. "If you remove the evening and night-time profitable event part of this business, there is nothing to sustain the daytime community use," he argued. He reminded the committee that before Eden Events invested £500,000 in renovations, the dilapidated building was a hub for "illegal squatting, crime and antisocial behaviour."
Vince Middleton, the live-in guardian of the adjacent Meridian House, supported this view. He said the current operation did not bother him and was vastly preferable to the previous state of illegal raves and vandalism. "Give me this, any day," he told the committee.
The Compromise: New Conditions and Earlier Closing
The sub-committee ultimately rejected calls for a suspension but agreed to impose several new conditions on the venue's licence, many of which were proposed by Eden Events themselves as a compromise.
The key changes are:
- The venue's Saturday operating hours have been reduced by one hour.
- A detailed noise management plan must be agreed with the council's Environmental Health department.
- An installed noise limiter must be set to a level approved by an Environmental Health Officer.
- Eden Events must hold quarterly meetings with neighbours to hear concerns.
- All loading and unloading at the building is restricted to between 8am and 10pm.
This outcome allows the Borough Hall to continue its operations as a regenerated community and events space, while attempting to directly address the legitimate noise concerns of its immediate neighbours in Peyton Place.
