I agree with others on this post, occasional large one off events can be a great thing to access for locals. Music and family friendly day festivals are great fun, I'd love to have one at walking distance!

As long as Enable promise to uphold cleanliness, litter collection and disposal and arrange adequate toilet facilities and leave the common as it was found then I am all for it.

I have a dog and children and use the commons all the time, so I do enjoy them but there are other spaces in our area to go for dog walks and quiet time if you want to avoid crowds for a weekend - wimbledon common for example is perfect for it. If it's over a weekend then it's hardly going to ruin the area permanently. We have fairgrounds and inflatable things using the common space all the time.

And as for knife crime, come on, we live in London, there are crims everywhere at all times. I think it highly unlikely to turn in to some Purge style knife frenzy.

I will not be complaining and am prepared to encourage events of this type and if it all goes pear shaped then we can address it then. Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone to experience different things. Let's not be all NIMBY about it.

Thank you for the information Emma. Will do. I know lots of people enjoy these huge events but for an equal number or more these green spaces are the only place for peace and quiet and are a saviour for their mental health. They are essential for people with no gardens or large families living in flats in cramped spaces. To live in London and escape the noise and stress in a park is special and vital to people’s wellbeing. 

The fear is that Enable are enjoying a bit of freedom at the minute because of being the borough of culture and saying these events are a one off makes me suspicious. If they are that’s okay. They are doing one in Battersea which they promise is a one off. Let’s see. What we don’t want is our green spaces to be event spaces. Sir Kier Starmer has explicitly said this is not to happen. Their value as GREEN spaces is not to be ignored for the thousands of people who need it. And children love kicking a ball or running around freely  just as much or more as thumping music and additive filled food at some of these events. Let’s get back to nature. 

Thank you for posting this . It is also Wandsworth Common that they are including in this plan .

I don’t get what the big deal is with these events.

Why would you not want something like this on during the Summer ? It’s not like it goes on late at night.

Enable must just ignore these people

 

I get that big events can come with concerns, but I think the original post feels a bit like scaremongering.

From what I’ve seen, the application is for 6,000 people over two days—not 12,000 in one go. That might sound like a lot, but compared to other parks like Clapham Common, which hosts up to 45,000 for music events, it’s actually pretty small-scale.

Enable are putting this on because locals said they wanted more family-friendly events in the area. So I don’t think it’s fair to say they “don’t care about the community.”

This is meant to be a family-friendly country music event—which, personally, I’d love! I’ve got young kids and think something of this size is a great way to introduce them to live music without the madness of a huge festival.

I don’t work for Enable, but I do see the good they’re doing. They run free hot meal services, warm spaces, and kids’ activities, so it feels like they really do care. It’s just worth weighing the positives too, not just the negatives.

@EmmaCoyle thank you for posting.

if you email annabel@nappyvalleynet.com with the link, I will add it to your post.

A x

 

Enable have again submitted an application to use Tooting Common Park for weekend events which will bring 12,000 extra people  to your area of the park!

Please help and email today to send a complaint to the licensing company to block the application.

Please Google Merton Licensing Contact today for the email address as this site will not let me add it to my post!

Our park is beautiful and this company care nothing about the locals who use it or the environment. I would appreciate if you could also forward this email to any member who can help submit a complaint. Help prevent knife crime and assaults!