• YOU reported on proposed licensing policy changes (‘It could make us like Soho’, January 25) which would have led to longer opening hours for pubs and bars across Camden and made it easier to get new licences in areas already saturated with them.

The council’s response was that the proposals “promote diversity” while mitigating against “possible negative impacts on our communities”.

Thinking that the proposed changes will promote diversity and mitigate impacts is like thinking that removing traffic lights and increasing speed limits will encourage more people to cycle and increase road safety! It flies in the face of both common sense and evidence.

The licensing committee meeting was cancelled at short notice on Thursday morning, perhaps because the council didn’t want the significant concerns raised by the police to be discussed in public.

The official position is that it is delayed because “further engagement is required with statutory partners given the complexity of the proposals and concerns raised.”

No mention is made of concerns raised by residents’ groups or Soho Housing about the impact on residents, and there is no commitment to engage with us.

The licensing policy proposals were based on an evening and night-time strategy that has not yet been published or agreed.

Councillors were told in a paper at Monday’s full council meeting that there has been “extensive consultation and engagement” in developing this strategy. We can see no evidence of this happening since the citizens’ assembly that took place almost a year ago and to which none of us were invited.

Certainly we have not been asked to be involved even though we represent the views of residents in the areas that will be most impacted.

We all agree that there is a need to preserve and enhance Camden’s evening and night-time economy, but the licensing policy proposals that were made will not achieve this.

We call on the council to engage with us to find a way to do this while balancing “the needs of visitors and businesses with those of local people” as stated in the Camden plan.

BLOOMSBURY ASSOCIATION
BLOOMSBURY RESIDENTS’ ACTION GROUP
CHARLOTTE STREET ASSOCIATION
COVENT GARDEN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
KENTISH TOWN ROAD ASSOCIATION
SEVEN DIALS TRUST
TENANTS’ AND RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION OF CAMDEN TOWN