‘Deeply offensive’: Hackney residents hit out at council plans for events in Abney Park Cemetery
Abney Park Chapel at dawn. Photograph: Haydn Schaare / Abney Park Trust
Residents are “appalled” by council plans to rent out a former mortuary chapel for events – fearing they will ruin the tranquility of the last resting place of thousands of Londoners.
Hackney Council wants a licence so it can hold events at the restored chapel at Abney Park in Stoke Newington to help pay for its care.
Abney Park Cemetery is one of the so-called ‘Magnificent Seven’ commercial cemeteries which opened on the outskirts of London in the nineteenth century.
It is the final resting of dissenters, campaigners for the abolition of slavery and music hall artists, including George Leybourne, who was better known as ‘Champagne Charlie’ after his hit song.
The licensing application follows the renovation of the former mortuary chapel, which is Grade II-listed.
The council won £4.4m National Lottery funding and put in £710,000 to restore the former mortuary, which was on a heritage at risk register, and the rest of the cemetery.
The council is asking for a licence so it can provide alcohol between 11am and 11.59pm, Monday to Sunday, along with permission for a range of activities including films, plays, performance of dancing, live and recorded music between 9am and 11.59pm.
Objectors wrote to Hackney’s licensing committee saying they value the peace and quiet there.
One resident said the nature reserve, which was created in 1993, is “a place for peace and reflection”.
They added: “There are way fewer spaces to connect with nature, find peace and attend to wellbeing, than there are venues for socialising with alcohol.”
Others raised concerns about wildlife in the cemetery, which is also a nature reserve.
One objector wrote: “Noise and disturbance could have a serious detrimental impact on wildlife and particularly birdlife of which Abney is an oasis in Central London.”
They suggested limiting events to one a week to “offer not only nearby residents but also the wildlife adequate respite.”
A Lordship Grove resident said: “It is a place for connection with our ancestors, with the natural world, and with our shared humanity.
“This is a place of respect, reflection, contemplation and education.”
The council hopes that private events there for up to 80 people will raise income to help pay maintenance costs.
It said security staff will be there for any events where alcohol is served and any after 4pm.
One resident who overlooks the cemetery wrote to the licensing department: “I am appalled to hear what is being proposed regarding music and alcohol in the cemetery.”
They said “this is a cemetery, not a music venue”.
“I find this deeply offensive as this is a place to show respect to people who have died, not to get drunk and party.”
Tom Walker, chair of Abney Park Trust, a volunteer-run charity that looks after the park, said: “The Trust has worked closely with Hackney Council on the restoration of the park.
“We think the ability to hold appropriate licensed events will enable the Trust to continue and grow our calendar of events.
“We have asked the council to develop a broader set of policies to ensure that events are appropriate (both individually and cumulatively) and have no detrimental impact on the ecology of the park.
“We have also asked the council to take proper ecological advice on the impact of events and to develop a management plan for the park.”
The council events team’s application said the Town Hall will not take bookings for any “inappropriate or concerning events” and its events team would cancel anything “if we believe the content not to be suitable”.
It said it will close events early if there is “any disorder”.
It estimated that a maximum of two or three events per week in the summer would run beyond 5pm.
Another resident said the long hours the council has asked for could cause public nuisance.
They said extended licensing hours were “inappropriate” in the cemetery where “people will be attending to commune in peace with their dead relatives and friends”.
They also feared the risk to public safety, with people getting access to the cemetery after dark.
The resident wrote: “During the hours of darkness the risk of crime in the area will be increased as most of the cemetery is unlit and the undesirable elements will be able to continue their activities for extended hours.”
Residents also suggested a noise limit of 85 decibels to keep the volume down.
The council’s licensing application said it has a limit of 93 decibels and said whilst it was not likely to be a popular venue for music performances because of the cost and the small capacity.
It also said drinks would only be allowed outside near the chapel during the daytime and the nearby war memorial would be off limits.
Cllr Alastair Binnie-Lubbock (Green, Hackney Downs) has concerns about “the potential damage to biodiversity”.
He said: “It is a metropolitan site of importance for nature conservation, meaning that it is one of the most important sites for biodiversity in London. Abney Park is home to many nocturnal creatures including bats and until recently owls.”
He raised concerns about the request to supply alcohol up to seven days a week “until a late hour more appropriate to a bar or a pub” and said the “rare oasis of tranquility” could also be disturbed by daytime events.
While I am glad that this issue is receiving public attention I’m not sure the balance of this piece has been properly represented. As you can see from my representation made to councillors with responsibility for this area (to which I have not received an acknowledgment since it was sent on June 6th), I indeed raised concerns that residents expressed to me, but I also balanced that with a suggestion that the application could be amended to reassure residents and that the council should share an event management plan and ecological assessment to benchmark any potential impacts against. Abney Park Cemetery is my favourite place on earth and I appreciate the efforts to save and bring back into use the chapel. It’s a magical place where sensitively planned events can bring great benefits to the community.
Subject: R.E. Licence application for Abney Park Chapel
Sent: June 6
FAO:
– Cllr Caroline Woodley Cabinet member for families, members and parks
– Cllr Mete Coban MBE Stoke Newington Councillor & Cabinet member for climate change, environment and transport
– Cllr Susan Fajana-Thomas OBE Stoke Newington Councillor & Cabinet member for community safety and regulatory services
– Cllr Gilbert Smyth Stoke Newington Councillor & Chair of licencing committee
CC. Hackney Mayor & Cabinet
Hackney Council
Hackney Town Hall
Mare Street
London
E8 1EA
6 June 2023
Dear Cllrs Woodley, Coban, Fajana-Thomas and Smyth,
I am pleased that the Abney Park Restoration Project is soon to reach completion. I remain hopeful that it will bring multiple benefits to local communities and residents. The bringing of Abney Chapel back into public use is to be welcomed. However, I note with great concern that some Listria Park residents have raised meaningful and legitimate objections to a recent licensing application from Hackney Council.
As you know, the Hackney Green Party is committed to creating a fairer, healthier, greener Hackney which listens and responds to local residents, which is why the following matter has come to my attention.
The most pressing concerns are that the application requests:
A premises licence for plays, films, live music, recorded music, performance of dance, from 9:00 to 23:59 from Monday to Sunday, and late night refreshment from 23:00 to 23:59.
The authorization to supply alcohol for consumption on and off the premises from 11:00 to 23:00 Monday to Sunday.
As you are well aware, the Nature Reserve Abney Park Cemetery was designated a local nature reserve in 1993 due to its value for people and wildlife; it is also a metropolitan site of importance for nature conservation, meaning that it is one of the most important sites for biodiversity in London. Abney Park is home to many nocturnal creatures including bats and until recently owls. Furthermore, the park backs onto many residential properties which have bedrooms at the back.
There are multiple risks from granting the licence in its current form and as requested:
The potential damage to biodiversity since the Abney Chapel is in a secluded spot in the middle of the park and the licence is requesting permission to supply alcohol for consumption seven days a week and until a late hour more appropriate to a bar or a pub.
Day-time noise pollution from visitors in a place of rest and mental recuperation, a rare oasis of tranquillity and fresh air for local residents.
Evening and night-time noise and light pollution, with the requested licence running until 23:59 seven days a week.
Residents have indicated their objection to the expected noise level of 93 decibels for events at the Abney Chapel – louder than heavy traffic (80 decibels), and even louder than the permitted limit (85db) for the much larger Hackney Town Hall Assembly Rooms.
Given the licence appears to permit DJs and bands, residents have pointed out that there is a risk of normalising noisy late-night events inside this relatively wild space – encouraging public nuisance and disorder. Residents have also indicated their concern that with limited toilet numbers in the venue for up to fifty guests, and in light of the requested licensing of supply of alcohol, there is a very real possibility of visitors treating the surrounding graveyards with disrespect – i.e. using them as additional outdoor toilet facilities. The long hours for supply of alcohol also bring increased risk of inebriation.
I ask you to make representations to the licensing committee on behalf of local residents, both human and other, to reject the licence application as it stands, and only to grant the application in an amended form stipulating, reduced volume, reduced hours for entertainments and sale of alcohol. For example:
A premises licence for plays, films, live music, recorded music, performance of dance, from 9:00 to 21:00 from Monday to Friday, with a noise limit of 80db.
A premises licence for plays, films, live music, recorded music, performance of dance, from 9:00 to 22:00 from Friday to Saturday, with a noise limit of 80db.
The authorization to supply alcohol for consumption on and off the premises from 17:00 to 21:00 Monday to Friday, and 14:00 to 21:30 on Friday to Saturday.
The Abney Chapel should serve as a wonderful events space for local communities while finding a healthy equilibrium to respect local residents and biodiversity in the unique Abney Park. Its status as a peaceful community space and vital sanctuary for nature should not be put at jeopardy for private profit nor should it be run as a pub venue.
I also would like to echo the comments of the Abney Park Trust which very strongly request that the council develops a broader set of policies to ensure that events are appropriate (both individually and cumulatively) and have no detrimental impact on the ecology of the park.
Has a proper ecological study of the park taken place as a benchmark to monitor future impacts?
It strikes me that the application for a licence of this broadness, before there is any sort of event management plan in place, outlining what sort of events will be permitted and which prohibited, as well as an estimate of the number of events and how this will be limited, is really putting the cart before the horse. It would also be imperative to understand the plan for monitoring the impacts on residents and the park’s ecology were this licence to be approved.
I look forward to your response.
Best,
Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock
It would be interesting to know which Councillor or Council Officer came up with this plan and not have them hiding behind ” the Town Hall” or “Hackney Council”.
This type of thing is extremely worrying:
The council events team’s application said the Town Hall will not take bookings for any “inappropriate or concerning events” and its events team would cancel anything “if we believe the content not to be suitable”.
The Council gets to judge what is ‘worthy’? Based on whose judgement?
I understand concerns about noise but think some of these objections are overstated. Socialising in Abney isn’t new. What’s new is the potential frequency of events and the officially sanctioned use of alcohol. Abney used to hold a boozy summer festival, and has hosted various concerts and night-time touring plays in recent years. And it’s clearly the location of many picnics and unofficial drinking/drug taking sessions as well as cottaging, etc.
Having more staff/security on site could actually make people behave more respectfully, if that’s what people are worried about. And from a biodiversity point of view, Abney’s use as a popular dog walking site it likely to have more of an impact than events in one part of the cemetery – especially when dogs are off leads and walkers/owners don’t clear up after them.