Leisure Connection retains licence but with strict new conditions (From Harrow Times)

Leisure Connection retains licence but with strict new conditions

11:43pm Monday 1st December 2008 in

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POLICE now have the power to stop events taking place at Byron Hall if they fear violence and disorder will break out.

The entertainment venue, the largest in Harrow, was handed strict new conditions on its licence following a review by Harrow councillors tonight.

Leisure Connection, the company which runs the venue and adjacent Harrow Leisure Centre, succeeded in holding on to its licence, but must now have a security guard on the door from 10am until its closes to try to avoid trouble on the site.

Bosses must also tell police about events two weeks in advance and conduct stringent safety checks to try to prevent crime and disorder, but cops retain the power to veto the event if they are not satisfied.

The changes come after Leisure Connection was hauled before a council committee for its licence to be reviewed.

As the Harrow Times exclusively revealed last week, police had to shut down the venue on Saturday, November 15, because they feared a Tamil youth event was in danger of spiraling out of control and managers had not done enough to prevent trouble breaking out.

Up to 50 youths were involved in a fight inside Byron Hall where chairs were thrown, and police had to step in to separate the warring factions.

Following tonight's meeting, Sergeant Carl Davis, in charge of licensing for Harrow Police, said he hoped the new measures would help prevent future trouble on the Wealdstone site.

He said: “I am pleased all the conditions we put forward have been accepted.

“The venue has the highest capacity of any building in Harrow for large licensed activities, so there is always the potential for trouble.

“But with good management, I hope these measures will help keep the residents of Harrow safe.”

The review was Leisure Connection's second in six weeks, as fears grew that the company was not doing enough to prevent crime, disorder, and disruption to local residents.

Since the last hearing, new CCTV cameras have been installed, noise limiters have been purchased, and now a new security regime will be implemented.

However, Councillor Phillip O'Dell, who represent Wealdstone, remains concerned the site will remain a hotbed of crime and disorder.

He said: “You have got to look at the effect of what happens outside. The council can impose all these conditions, but ultimately the car park has got to be supervised.

“There doesn't seem to be any control on what goes on in the car park, and are Leisure Connection going to take responsibility and do something about it?”

What do you think of the management of Byron Hall and Harrow Leisure Centre? Leave your comments below.