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Navratri festival in Wembley faces objections

Asian Events Media (AEM) has applied to Brent Council to host the Navratri celebration at Alperton Studios from September 22 to October 1.

Navratri festival in Wembley

A similar event held at the same site last year resulted in a planning enforcement notice being issued due to complaints of noise and disturbance.

Getty Images

A PROPOSED 10-day Hindu festival in Wembley, north London, has drawn objections over concerns about noise and disruption in the area.

Asian Events Media (AEM) has applied to Brent Council to host the Navratri celebration at Alperton Studios from September 22 to October 1, according to The London Standard.


The event would run from 6pm to 11pm on weekdays and until midnight on weekends.

A similar event held at the same site last year resulted in a planning enforcement notice being issued due to complaints of noise and disturbance. The notice remains in place.

Brent Council’s Planning Enforcement Manager (PEM) said granting the licence would “facilitate the criminal act of breaching [the notice]” and described the building as unsuitable for such events due to lack of soundproofing.

A local resident said last year’s noise was “loud and constant”, leading them to miss work. However, AEM said the previous organisers “were not professional” and blamed poor speaker placement and equipment choices.

AEM pointed to a previous event in Barham Park that drew no complaints and said they are “very, very strict” with sound levels.

The application will be reviewed by Brent Council’s Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Sub-Committee on July 14.

The London Standard reported that neither the police nor the council’s Licensing Enforcement Officer have objected.

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