• FOLLOWING the recent hearing regarding the licensing changes of the Forge venue on Delancey Street, we, the Delancey Street Residents’ Association, want to highlight concerns we have with the operation of this venue, as well as wider concerns in Camden and within the council.

We have so far attended two hearings regarding the Forge’s licensing conditions (January/ November 2023).

We feel that these hearings haven’t been fair due to what we believe to be pre-determination of the outcome, rendering objections from police, licensing officers, and residents pointless.

We are concerned about conflicts of interest among councillors, who may have built their political identities around promoting Camden’s night-time economy; and this is not just an issue around this particular licence.

The licensing team’s own Cumulative Impact Area (CIA) policies are contravened by the panel’s decisions: we want to understand how and why licences such as this one are granted as they obviously negatively add to the cumulative impact in a CIA. The CIA is put in place to protect residents but is frequently undermined by voting councillors.

We also feel hearings are deliberately derailed away from the worries that residents have. It’s not a question of how much has been spent on sound proofing; the fact is, the music still thumps through our living rooms and bedrooms.

It’s not a question of where the venue’s responsibility for rubbish and anti-social behaviour begins and ends; the fact is, hundreds of people attending these events massively increases health and safety risks, and environmental impact, for local residents.

It’s not a question of what direction they tell their clientele to move in when they exit at 3am; the fact is, we can’t sleep because of the noise of 450 people leaving a venue, their taxis blocking the road resulting in car horns blasting.

We don’t feel that councillors responsible for making the decisions around licensing have residents’ best interests at heart. We feel ignored and dismissed by those elected to represent us, just as advice by responsible authorities (police etc) is openly disregarded.

There have been a number of previous venues on that site, including a recital hall and a restaurant, all of which have cohabited peacefully with residents.

We love to support local businesses that respect and consider us. Many of us are musicians and creatives, and we all choose to live in Camden because of the amazing cultural richness it offers.

But a nightclub that negatively impacts our health, wellbeing and safety, speaks to and about us as if we are irritating grumps, and does not have concern for the effects it has on our day-to-day lives and community, is not welcome.

This nightclub is a business, but this street is our home.

DELANCEY STREET RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION