Save Millwall Park from Oktoberfest damage

Millwall park was the site of Oktoberfest for a long weekend in October 2013.  During this time, despite the assurances of the organisers, visitors and the tent’s structure seriously damaged the park and the antisocial behavior in the local area was significantly increased.

The erection of the tent involved driving metal spikes deep into the ground, which has damaged underground drainage, leading to a great deal of flooding and has resulted in large areas of the park turning to mud.  This damage has not been corrected by the organisers (which was their promise at the licensing hearing).

Visitors to the event, again despite the assurances of the organisers, were allowed to drink heavily and we saw a large number of antisocial behaviours, including public drunkenness, public urination and damage to property.  The organisers did not provide sufficient security and so Tower Hamlets provided additional help from the THEO team and local policing, costing the council (and therefore the local tax payer) to secure the event.

Oktoberfest have made an application to hold the event in Millwall park again in 2014, but this time for two weekends.  I would like your support in objecting to the license application on the following grounds;

·      Crime and disorder; the organisers have demonstrated they are incapable of controlling public order at this scale, and so should not be allowed to hold a further similar event.

·      Prevention of public nuisance; visitors to the event caused serious increases in anti-social behaviour locally, and the planned event this year will be twice the period, and so public nuisance is likely to be greater.

·      Protection of children from harm; security last year was insufficient to maintain controls over the sale of drinks to minors and we saw evidence of underage drinking.  There are many schools in the area which will be affected by this event and the control of underage drinking is an issue in this ward.

In addition to the above areas of concern to the licensing committee I am concerned that the damage to the park caused last year has not been corrected, and no assurance to do so has been given.  Despite this lapse the council has received an application for this year’s event, and I would like to request that you give your support to petitioning the council to not only reject this year’s licensing application, but to also require the organisers to correct the damage of last year.