Residents worry ‘upmarket nail bar’ selling booze could lift crime rate

Nail Biting: Residents fear ‘upmarket nail bar’ will add to cumulative impact. Photograph: Lelê Breveglieri.

Residents have voiced their concern that an ‘upmarket nail bar and salon’ hoping to sell fizzy wine and cocktails to its customers could add to the impact of antisocial drunken disorder in Shoreditch.

London Grace, which operates eight premises across London including in Angel, Canary Wharf and Leicester Square, wants to sell alcohol to customers getting their nails done, alongside a range of beauty products and accessories and afternoon tea.

However, both Hackney Council’s licensing department and residents neigbouring London Grace’s new premises on Rivington Street have raised concerns that the nail salon could increase the cumulative impact of licensed premises in the area.

One resident said: “I wish to express my strong objection to the proposed alcohol licence for 47 Rivington Street. I’m a Charlotte Road homeowner, and we already have too many people drinking on the street. Another alcohol licence in close proximity will simply exacerbate the problem.

“Every evening it’s unsafe for me to walk with my young nephew because of all the drunk and disorderly people around. There are drunk people in the street trying to break down our door.”

Another said: “We seriously need to fight to stop this nightclubbing situation that makes the neighbours’ life impossible. More alcohol licences bring extreme noise, crimes and drug-related problems.”

Hackney Council’s controversial licensing restrictions received national attention in 2018, with campaign groups warning that the new rules would act as an effective ban on new premises.

Under the restrictions, the onus is on new applicants to prove that they would not add to the cumulative impact of licensed premises within special policy areas in Dalston and Shoreditch, which are considered as being at saturation point with bars and clubs.

London Grace’s application will be decided on 21 May.