Camden’s pledge, ‘Not for self but for all’

• FURTHER to the letter (Just ‘ask the people’ on licensing, February 1) objecting to Camden’s plan to extend licensing hours, we too, residents of Queen Alexandra Mansions, are the losers in the council’s current policy of putting commercial interests ahead of residents’ concerns.

Our block of 180 flats on Judd Street/ Bidborough Street is just 20 metres from the new refurbished Camden Centre, next to the old council HQ on Judd Street.

Il Bottaccio, the company which is leasing the centre (of which the council is the landlord) has been granted a licence for Friday and Saturday (nights) to 4am, and between 1.30 and 3.30 the rest of the week with use increased from 900 to 1,600 people.

When residents objected, the council was not even prepared to discuss reducing the hours or the numbers. Their strategy is to let it go ahead, stipulating conditions put forward by the police and the planners, with no concern about those sleeping 20 metres away, to mitigate the worse effects, with no guarantee the company can or will enforce these.

Additionally in this case – the council as landlord – will make huge profits, while the commercially weak residents must suffer in silence. As stated in the Camden’s official policy, commercial interests far outweigh residents’ concerns.

As the writers of last week’s letter ask, is this a proper balance between the “needs of visitors and businesses with those of local people”? Isn’t the council ashamed that its pledge, promulgated on the top of its new building (pictured above) “Not for self but for all” now appears to many Camden residents to be more accurately “Not for all but for the selfish rich and powerful”.

DAPHNE DAVIES, WC1