Licence Granted for Polish Festival at Grasshoppers RFC
Councillors give permission for three events over a year
The festivals will take place on the grass pitches. Picture: Facebook
May 1, 2026
A council licensing panel has approved plans for a series of outdoor cultural events at Grasshoppers Rugby Football Club in Isleworth, following concerns from local residents about noise, parking and crowd size.
The London Borough of Hounslow’s Licensing Sub-Committee granted a premises licence to the charity London Spark after a hearing on 20 April, allowing up to three events to take place at the Syon Lane site over the next year.
The decision clears the way for a Polish cultural festival scheduled for Sunday 7 June, which organisers say will celebrate Polish food, music and community.
However, the panel imposed a series of conditions and reduced the originally proposed hours in response to objections.
Under the approved licence, alcohol may be served from 12:00 to 18:00, while outdoor live music and similar entertainment can run from 12:00 to 18:30. The site itself may remain open until 20:00.
The licence will run for one year and is limited to a maximum of three events.
During the consultation period, three local residents formally objected, citing fears over public nuisance and safety. Concerns centred on a similar event held at the venue last year, with complaints including loud music, parking disruption, large crowds and a lack of clear contact information for organisers.
Residents also argued that the surrounding residential streets were not suitable for large-scale events.
However, no objections were received from the Metropolitan Police.
In response to the concerns, London Spark agreed to amend its application before the hearing. The charity said it would reposition the stage further from nearby homes, angle speakers towards the rugby club to reduce noise impact, and introduce a system of mobile sound monitoring.
It also committed to distributing information leaflets to local residents ahead of the event, including a contact number for complaints.
Organisers said they had arranged free parking for attendees at nearby sites, including Sky Group headquarters and Nishkam School, and would deploy marshals to manage pedestrian flows and traffic.
The event is expected to attract around 3,000 attendees over the course of the day, though not all at once.
A key issue at the hearing was how to control sound levels. The council’s environmental health officer recommended a maximum noise level of 65 decibels, measured at the nearest residential property.
The panel accepted this recommendation and made it a condition of the licence. Noise must be monitored three times during the event at specified locations, with readings averaged over 15-minute periods. In its decision, the panel said it was satisfied that the amended proposals and conditions would promote the licensing objectives, particularly the prevention of public nuisance.
It also noted the organiser’s experience of running similar events and the steps taken to address previous concerns.
While residents had raised significant objections, no objectors attended the hearing in person.
The panel concluded that the application could be granted subject to modifications, including aligning alcohol sales with the revised opening hours.
The first event under the new licence is due to take place on 7 June. Organisers have said they will review its success before deciding whether to proceed with further events later in 2026 and 2027.
The decision comes after earlier uncertainty about the venue’s involvement, with Grasshoppers RFC previously indicating that only one event had been agreed in principle and that formal contracts were still under discussion.
Whether additional events go ahead may therefore depend not only on the licence, but on agreements between the organisers and the club.
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