Why the Wandle Park Café’s alcohol licence is controversial
A licensing authority has granted a café based in a public park in Croydon an alcohol licence despite it falling into an area covered by a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).
The café, which is situated in Mayor Jason Perry’s recently extended PSPO zone, is due to re-open next month under new management. Initially, the PSPO was put in place to limit street drinking and anti-social behaviour after the park café and its surrounding area fell into disrepute.
According to Inside Croydon, the venue was built as part of the £3.5million renovations of the park carried out 12 years ago, but it has been closed since the first Covid lockdown in 2020. Looking back, when Croydon Council first advertised the venue for rent it stated that it was seeking at least £10,000 per year from new vendors. However, reports outlined that licences to sell alcohol were rarely granted to tea rooms and cafés in public parks, especially in areas covered by PSPOs for a series of often reasons connected to security, public order as well as to safeguard children.
Reputation
Local reports identified that Wandle Park had, even before the closure of its café, earned a reputation as a place where petty crime and drug deals had previously taken place as well as a site l where street drinkers had started to congregate.
This meant that the inclusion of Wandle Park in the council’s extended PSPO zone had been intended to deter drinkers, however passing through a drinks licence, essentially giving the new café venue permission to serve alcohol seven days a week, has been raised as a controversial move.
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The licence was granted via a virtual meeting, where none of those who had lodged objections to the application attended. The application was made on behalf of Joal Miez Holdings Ltd, whose sole director, Glen Patnelli assured: “We are not here to serve alcohol to those who you find hanging around in the park who buy cheap drink from the corner shop and then come to the park to consume it.”
Croydon Council head of environmental health, trading standards and licensing Michael Goddard explained the laws and regulations around the 2003 Licensing Act and its four objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, the prevention of public nuisance, protecting public safety and the protection of children. Describing the decision, Goddard explained how, after discussions with the police and the applicant, the licensing application had been changed in a number of respects, in particular reducing the operating hours to 10am to 6pm, rather than until 11pm each night.
Assurances
Patnelli explained that the café would be a community space, providing workshops and events in future, but reportedly admitted that he had no budget to stage any such events, but according to reports there was no mention during the meeting of Wandle Park being inside a PSPO no alcohol zone, despite other bars and pubs within the PSPO having to manage a no-off-the-premises rule.
During the meeting, reporters highlighted how Patnelli was adamant that the café would not sell booze for consumption off the premises, but then later also expressed hope that during the warmer months of the year people might enjoy using seating and tables outside the café. The controversy continues.
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