Forum Topic

Rave at 35 Enfield Road

Last night I went to bed at about elevenish and became aware of a lot of noisy activity in the road.  Eventually I looked out of the window and saw a load of youths (male and female) gathering around 35 Enfield Road and going in and out of the property.  They looked as though they were up for a party.  Some arrived on foot, others by private car, some were dropped off by taxi.  The age range was probably late teens/early twenties.At about midnight the noise increased and about twenty (possibly more) people spilled out of the house and into the road where they milled around.  Shortly afterwards a police car arrived and also Hounslow's Noise Team.  There was music thumping away.The police officers had a long conversation with some of the occupants of the property and one of my neighbours and myself came out of our houses and spoke to the officers and also the noise people.  Apparently the back garden of the property was heaving with people - some of whom were smoking weed and taking cocaine.The owner does not live at the property but rents it out - we think he's been doing the airbnb thing.  A similar "event" took place at the property the weekend before last.  He is, apparently, not bothered on the occasions when he's been contacted about what's happened.Police said they were powerless to do anything; noise team said they would be contacting the owner.The party continued for most of the night.  The volume of music increased.  There were continual comings and goings and shouting in the street.  I observed people emerging from the property and urinating/defecating behind parked cars and then going back inside.I also rang the police and was told that they had been contacted by a number of local residents but that, in reality, there was very little they could do.I gather that this sort of thing is fairly common at the moment.  It's horrible for local residents who just want to go to sleep. The party was still going strong at 4am but I managed to get some sleep by going to the back of the house.  Did anyone else hear this event?  What can we do to make sure it doesn't happen again??

Alison Robins ● 1343d35 Comments

Hounslow Highways are responsible for investigating fly tipping for evidence of perpetrators. People think this is dead easy but I have been out more than once and gone through bags. On the second occasion (in Kingsley Road Hounslow) we searched over 200 bags (from memory) and found 6 addresses.We are currently recruiting dedicated enforcement people into the council to attack fly tipping hotspots in partnership with Hounslow Highways, Recycle 360 and, where appropriate, the police. Hounslow Highways are excellent at picking up reported flytips (it is a specific duty under their contract) but unfortunately this sometimes has the unintended consequence of people thinking it's OK to leave out a bag as somebody will pick it up. Wrong, it's an offence, and we're getting better at catching people and will get better still when our dedicated enforcement people are here.

Guy Lambert ● 1340d

Does LBE still employ Kingdom to carry out the giving out of fines for "fly-tipping"?  I think they got to keep the revenue or part of the revenue.  I thought they had said they would stop employing them.  You can see that there would have been a temptation to pick on easy targets.  There must be lots of reports on www.fixmystreet.com of flytipping of bags of waste or aren't they picking those up at all now?  Those need investigating but that's harder work.

Philippa Bond ● 1340d

I think they called in officers from other police forces to deal with XR - it wasn't just the Met.  And leave got cancelled and there were no officers around to deal with things like assault and burglary.

Alison Robins ● 1340d

The police didn't seem to be so under-resourced when they dispatched thousands of officers into London to stand around and watch the peaceful demonstrations of Extinction Rebellion.

Steve Taylor ● 1340d

The police didn't seem to be so under-resourced when they dispatched thousands of officers into London to stand around and watch the peaceful demonstrations of Extinction Rebellion.

Steve Taylor ● 1340d

Noise team contacted me to say that they've had a long talk with the owner who was very apologetic and has taken the property off ebookers/airbnb.Hopefully that's an end to it.  Can't really complain about the response of the police/noise team - they have to work within the legislative framework and they can't risk their own safety and they're massively under-resourced.  It's not as simple as just barging into premises and seizing drugs/sound equipment.

Alison Robins ● 1340d

Don't think it would have been wise for a single man, even of Cllr Lambert's rotund size, to tackle that lot on his own.  Also would have needed a lot of "heavies" from the police and a warrent to enter the house.  Not simple.  All very maddening but do fully agree it did need swift action to stop it, so what to do?

Jennifer Selig ● 1340d

The please keep a diary trotted out by some councillors and officers is an old trick to hopefully make you give up in the end and saves starting an investigationThe big surprise though is why Cllr Lambert passed the buck to his Syon Ward cllr colleague when I am sure with his experience he could have dealt with the case matter himself regardless of cllr Dunnes portfolio

Paul Fisher ● 1340d

A resident in Ealing was fined for Fly tipping because they had put out a box of Appled from their garden with a sign for people to help themselves.Amazing that resources can be found to do that but not deal with the many gatherings in certain spaces and homes that are way over the top.But have to sympathise with the Police entirely, they are damned if the do and danmed if they don't.They like the other emergency services are now so politicised at the top that whatever they do from a pragmatic point of upholding wrongdoing, that they risk career damage and the buck always gets passed to the rank and file.

Raymond Havelock ● 1340d

So urinating in the street was ignored. Some time ago a sixty year old lady poured a coffee down the drain and then placed the paper cup in a bin outside Ealing Bdy station and was taken to court. Ok she got off but was frightened she was going to get a criminal record. Was any litter dropped if it was why no fine?

Nicholas Beard ● 1340d

The use of substances was not, as far as I was aware, taking place in the street.  It was taking place in the back garden of the property and was seen by a resident who had a view over the garden from his own property.If drugs were being taken in the street when the police attended and officers had witnessed (or suspected) such behaviour they would have been able to arrest and search the individuals concerned.  Whether they would have done so without back-up is another matter - given that there were probably about 40-50 people at the address.

Alison Robins ● 1341d

A tenant in an A2D home was left in such a state from 24/7 365 noise from a flat above that it destroyed his health and livelihood.The same cop out from the Council." Keep a Diary"  2 years later and he was still fobbed off.They were more worried about their cosy relationship with the landlords A2 Dominion.Yet within weeks of finding other accommodation and vacating his flat. LBH took immediate action on the landlords A2D to fit noise insulating underlay and carpet in the flat above after the new tenant complained.Unfortunately This councillor is always coming out with "as councillors we cannot"Sat in many a meeting and heard that cop out.They should be requesting explanations of the Police for being so slow and why open use of substances was so visible to all in the street.Just keep on burying heads in the sand and worrying about blocking roads rather than tackle real issues affecting local people.

Raymond Havelock ● 1341d

"in which she said,"I would stress that it is important to report every incident to the police and the noise team as that way a record builds up allowing further action to be taken"."That is a typical Councillor cop out and it is nonsense. They don't have to build up a record of complaints. The law is clear that if it is shown that the noise nuisance exists, the police can take action. They don't have to wait for more unlawful behaviour and the Council can take immediate action.

Steve Taylor ● 1341d

Cllr Lambert passed on the info about Saturday night to Cllr Katherine Dunne who is in charge of Communities and Climate Emergency.  She copied me in on her reply to Cllr Lambert in which she said,"I would stress that it is important to report every incident to the police and the noise team as that way a record builds up allowing further action to be taken".So, please, if something like this does happen again call police/noise team.  Don't just lie in bed with gritted teeth and do nothing or rely on someone else to stick their head above the parapet.  If only one person does anything then it's more likely to be dismissed as one individual being overly fussy or a killjoy.

Alison Robins ● 1341d

I find it very difficult to understand why the police couldn't arrest the drug takers and confiscate the equipment if the noise pollution team confirmed to them that the noise nuisance did in fact exist...The laws on these issues are very clear. The owner of the property need not be present if the contracted tenant is breaking the Law under the noise pollution Act. Likewise there are laws against using streets as toilets. What is the point of a police service if they refuse to provide a service when required?

Steve Taylor ● 1341d

Thats good news all we have to do now is get our Councillors to ask the police why they did not act

Robert Ayres ● 1341d

Suspect that this weekend will be the peak of private 'raves' given that Notting Hill Carnival has been cancelled this year. I'd imagine that a lot of the sound systems would be looking for alternative locations in the wider West London.

Paul Scullion ● 1341d

Guy Lambert responded very promptly on Sat and said he'd passed the matter to the relevant bods at the Council.The owners pitched up at the property on Saturday afternoon. I spoke to them and told them what had happened.  They said they'd just chucked the remaining ravers out and were going to change the locks.  They were very apologetic and said it wouldn't happen again.  They were aware that the police had attended and so I suspect that the police had contacted them and told them to sort things out.Hopefully there won't be a repeat performance.

Alison Robins ● 1341d

Hi AlisonAny reply from our Councillors

Robert Ayres ● 1341d

The Belarus riot police would soon sort them out.

Christopher Hugh Dakers ● 1342d

Priti Patel can make all the new regulations she likes - what is overlooked is that due to this wonderful government's 'efficiencies' over the years we simply do not have either the police or local government officers to enforce any of them. Perhaps they should get the ubiquitous Dido Harding to run things - after all she seems to be running everything else she knows nothing about?

Vanessa Smith ● 1342d

Press report today:"In England, fines of up to £10,000 for those organising illegal raves will come into force ahead of the bank holiday, PA media reports. The move comes as officers respond to a surge in unlicensed music events. In Birmingham, officers said they attended more than 70 unlicensed street and house parties on Saturday night, while police in Huddersfield broke up an illegal rave involving some 300 people. The Metropolitan Police received information on more than 200 events across London in a single weekend, responding to more than 1,000 illegal events in the capital since the end of June. Elsewhere, West Midlands Police shut down 125 parties and raves - including one of up to 600 people - in one weekend. Boris Johnson said that new fines were to be introduced for those hosting raves when he announced a further easing of England’s lockdown last week. People facilitating or organising illegal raves, unlicensed music events or any other unlawful gathering of 30 people or more may face a £10,000 fine. Participants can continue to be issued with fines of £100, while those who have already been fined will see the amount double on each offence, up to a maximum of £3,200."But maybe not in Brentford..

Peter Evans ● 1342d

It's always the same. We who pay council tax, year in year out  always seem to suffer, and I know how people suffer.

Nicholas Beard ● 1343d

At first I thought it was from the Lord Nelson pub but they obliviously finished much earlier."We are bringing back live music every (dry) Friday night. Starting tonight from 7:30-9:30 we’ll have acoustic performers in the garden." Surprised no-one arrested at 35 even though there were drugs on the premises.

Debbie Paradin ● 1343d

I know that Guy Lambert keeps an eye on this Forum - but I've dropped him an email anyway.

Alison Robins ● 1343d

Local councillors for Brentford ward - Guy Lambert, Mel Collins and Corinna Smart.Mel.Collins@hounslow.gov.ukguy.lambert@hounslow.gov.ukcorinna.smart@hounslow.gov.uk

Vanessa Smith ● 1343d

To our local Councillors we expect you to get this stopped urgently. I am sure the council can obtain a court order or better still tell the police to do there job.I was woken from my sleep at 4.40 am Glass breaking people screaming,shouting and using Enfield Walk as an open toilet. My Grandchildren who staying were woken from there beds it was complete mayhem. I want to know it the police cant do anything why are we paying for them in our community charge.

Robert Ayres ● 1343d

As the police patrolling Enfield and Avenue roads this morning were armed , I doubt any resident would enter the premises. I wonder if the threat of prosecution of the actual owner would be possible?

David R Rowlands ● 1343d

Here's this property's listing on eBookers.https://www.ebookers.ie/London-Hotels-Stunning.h23276810.Hotel-InformationOf course it says no parties!This is AirBnB's complaint site:https://www.airbnb.co.uk/neighbors though I can't find this address on their site.

Peter Evans ● 1343d

There's not much the police can do about a private party - if it had taken place, say, in Gunnersbury Park ( a public place) they'd have been able to break it up. They can't enter and search prems, as a general rule, without a warrant even if they're told there's drugs in the back garden.  And as one of the officers said to me, they wouldn't enter a house of over 50 people without substantial back-up.  He mentioned lack of resources in the same breath.The noise bloke mentioned contacting local councillors - so if any of them are reading this.......

Alison Robins ● 1343d

Also try asking why a noise abatement notice hasn't been already been served, that would enable the noise team to confiscate anything that plays music if called out again to a complaint.

Vanessa Smith ● 1343d

This has been copied from My LondonAirBnB is trialling new rules designed to stop under-25s hosting illegal raves in residential properties.This week, Westminster Council revealed details of parties it has shut down in flats in Soho that were hired using the short-term-letting website.As of this week, anyone under the age of 25 who has fewer than three positive reviews will not be able to book whole properties on AirBnB that are located "outside of their local area". The rules are UK-wide.Under-25s who have at least three positive reviews and no negative reviews will be unaffected by the changes, which have also been piloted in Canada and the US.

Bernard Allen ● 1343d

Disappointing that the police and noise people did nothing as we've read about police elsewhere breaking up gatherings like this. If there were enough neighbours, I guess you could take a chance and go in mob-handed and unplug the music. Or if the garden was near enough, a garden hose might calm things down. Also report to AirBnB, as they're suddenly becoming sensitive to the bad publicity this kind of activity is bringing them. And ask local councillor to follow up the case and make it more of an issue.

Peter Evans ● 1343d

How truly dreadful - yet the police managed to turn up en masse when some people piled up Wheelie bins near the Leader of the council's house. So much for enforcing 'social distancing' then.Again I suspect this depends on the will of the police to do something positive, with the manpower they have.

Vanessa Smith ● 1343d

Unbelievable noise all night, and the total lack of respect for the residents Enfield Road. Grrrrrrr

Emma Renton ● 1343d