Latest news with #antisocialBehaviour
The Independent
4 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- The Independent
Influencers force major change in colourful Notting Hill
Notting Hill residents are painting their pastel-coloured houses black to deter Instagram influencers and tourists who frequently pose for photos outside their homes. There have been complaints of people climbing on railings, attempting to enter homes, and even asking residents to step aside for photos. Residents report issues such as difficulty renting homes due to constant crowds, stolen items, and being unable to walk down the street. A campaign has been launched to encourage other residents to paint their houses black, citing the bright colours as a 'major draw' for social media photos. Local authorities are urging visitors to respect residents and their private homes, with increased street enforcement to address antisocial behaviour.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
London's canal of chaos: Furious homeowners battle against antisocial behaviour after boat party revellers had sex, flashed and used gardens as toilets
Furious locals living along a popular London canal are battling against antisocial behaviour after boat party revellers were caught performing sex acts in public and using their gardens as toilets. Residents with houses along the quaint Little Venice canal now fear there will be a surge in if London boat hire company GoBoat UK is granted an alcohol licence. They said the company had previously operated with an alcohol licence, allowing people to drink on board without supervision. This led to a spike of vile and antisocial behaviour in the area, with boaters caught performing sex acts in public, urinating and defecating in people's gardens, and even flashing 'in front of children'. Locals also claimed drunk boat drivers often crashed into their vessels, were 'loud and aggressive' and some also 'engaged in drug use'. But GoBoat is now looking to launch a new service 'designed to enhance customer experience', which will allow boaters to drink on board while being supervised by 'a qualified skipper'. The company stressed that the service 'is not a return to unsupervised drinking, but a controlled, high-quality alternative' and added that their self drive boats will remain 'strictly alcohol-free'. Even with this promise, the application has received dozens of objections, including from the Environmental Health Service which claimed the licence would likely cause an increase in 'public nuisance and may impact public safety'. GoBoat is also seeking to transform a small, square shipping container into a kiosk for selling alcohol to customers at its site in Merchant Square, Paddington. The company said the site manages 16 rental boats and a narrowboat which won't be used for selling alcohol. It applied for the alcohol licence in February this year, which would allow it to sell alcohol between 9am and 10pm from Mondays to Sundays. But the application received objections from residents just weeks later, calling for the application to be denied given the previous behaviour of some GoBoat users. One resident claimed the company had previously had 'problems with customers drinking on board the boats'. This included 'boorish behaviour, indecent exposure, urinating on to the towpath, mooning, threats of violence towards boat owners and quite a bit more'. 'We residents on the canal have quite enough to deal with… cyclists, pedestrians, dog-owners allowing their pets to defecate all over the towpath without rowdy, antisocial behaviour by GoBoat punters,' the resident added. Another objector also wrote: 'I absolutely object to this - the last time the GoBoaters were allowed alcohol, I had people peeing onto the side of my boat, appalling driving as they carelessly bashed into the boats. Screaming through the tunnels. Absolutely not. Please God no.' A third outraged boat owner added: 'On multiple occasions, individuals urinated on my boat, engaged in drug use, and exhibited inappropriate behavior such as public nudity. 'Additionally, loud music, shouting, and loud singing from the Goboats caused significant disturbance to local residents, both boaters and those living in nearby housing.' Another person claimed they had seen 40 incidents of 'chaotic and unsafe' behaviour ranging from 'public urination in gardens, indecent exposure, and flashing in front of children'. They said that instead of granting the licence, 'stricter enforcement' should be implemented to ensure users 'respect public safety and community well-being'. Another furious boat owner claimed GoBoat users would hang onto their boat and cause massive disruption when the company previously allowed alcohol on board. 'It caused massive disruption; Shouting, loud music, insults, drug taking. People falling in the water, crashing with other craft, nudity, urinating in my garden,' they added. One local also claimed they had 'personally witnessed' wildlife being chased and killed and people jumping off the boats at the Maida Tunnel entrance to 'urinate even defecate in our gardens'. 'I do not understand how this application can even be considered, to sell alcohol to customers who are then going to be in charge of a moving vessel with virtually zero training in one of the busiest stretches of canal in London,' they added. Despite the barrage of criticism, the application did receive one letter of support. They wrote: 'The water needs to attract all, it needs diversity, and a bottle of something on the slow sojourn to is too perfect to deny to people. 'Plus those are the people who tend to be fun, and to retrieve stuff for me when I have dropped it in.' Grant Sweeney, co-founder of GoBoat London, said: 'GoBoat Luxe represents a completely different approach to our operations, featuring professionally qualified skippers with Power Boat Level 2 certifications who will drive the boats while remaining sober, ensuring that no customers are drinking alcohol and driving a boat at our Paddington location. 'The Luxe service includes strict alcohol consumption limits, bag checks, ranger boat patrols to ensure responsible operation, and has received approval from Canal & River Trust, demonstrating confidence in our professional approach.'
BBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Residents warn Norwich piano bar would hit wrong tone
Converting an historic church into a piano bar could lead to antisocial behaviour, residents have living near the vacant St Michael at Plea church in Norwich said they opposed the plan because it could also lead to an increase in noise, with one arguing it would have an "overwhelmingly detrimental impact".John Taylor – who has applied for an alcohol licence for the site – said customers would be asked to the leave area the quietly whilst the music volume would be "low enough that normal conversation can take place".In his application to Norwich City Council, he also said the bar would have door staff at weekends and CCTV cameras in place. In a separate application for planning permission, Mr Taylor – and the site's primary leaseholders, Norwich Historic Churches Trust – said the bar would "give performance opportunities to many students and professional musicians"They described it as "a high-quality environment for an audience to appreciate their talents". But nearby residents have written objections to both said the potential noise would "would profoundly disrupt our home life", whilst another said she was already "scared" to walk in the area because of street one more person living close to the church warned "littering, urination and vomit are all inevitable side effects" of a bar being is not the first time neighbours of the former church have raised concerns about anti-social behaviour in the year, they objected to plans - which were later rejected by the council - for a nearby venue to expand into its Police said they had no objection to a licence being granted for the piano bar, as long as conditions were met including door staff on Friday and Saturday nights – and a log being kept of any anti-social city council's licensing sub-committee is due to decide on the alcohol licence on Monday, whilst a decision on the planning application will be made at a later date. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Times
09-05-2025
- Times
‘Intimidated' neighbours accuse school over late-night tennis courts
Neighbours living next to an academy school in Norwich say their lives are now 'unbearable' because newly built tennis courts have become a magnet for antisocial behaviour. Residents of Lowther Road said some pupils' behaviour on the courts at City of Norwich School (CNS) left them feeling 'intimidated'. The five courts, which were funded by the Lawn Tennis Association, were built during the pandemic and CNS has applied to extend their opening hours until 10pm. • Neighbours fire back at 'gunshot' noise of padel courts It has left residents including Keith Philpot, 52, whose property backs on to the courts, fearing an already 'unbearable' situation will get much worse. 'You've got instructors yelling, whistles going, balls bouncing off fences,' he said. 'It's not just
