Residents hit out at BBC bar licence application
The BBC’s plans to relocate its employee membership club to its Broadcasting House HQ, W1, have been met with resistance from nearby residents.
The broadcaster has filed a licence application for bar and food services and live and recorded music at its Portland Place HQ, via its BBC Club Sports and Leisure vehicle. The BBC has run the club for its staff for around a century.
Under proposals filed with Westminster City Council, the premises would be able to offer alcohol and food services at its Portland Place, with on and off-sales for consumption on the estate including in meeting rooms and event spaces, such as its piazza. Approval is also sought for live music performances and recorded music.
The BBC’s plans to relocate its employee membership club to its Broadcasting House HQ, W1, have been met with resistance from nearby residents.
The broadcaster has filed a licence application for bar and food services and live and recorded music at its Portland Place HQ, via its BBC Club Sports and Leisure vehicle. The BBC has run the club for its staff for around a century.
Under proposals filed with Westminster City Council, the premises would be able to offer alcohol and food services at its Portland Place, with on and off-sales for consumption on the estate including in meeting rooms and event spaces, such as its piazza. Approval is also sought for live music performances and recorded music.
The club was previously located at Wogan House nearby until the BBC said it would vacate the premises in 2022, with staff relocating to Broadcasting House. At Wogan House, the existing licence provided for retail sales of alcohol, live music performances and recorded music.
A local group of residents has criticised the BBC’s plans to relocate the club. Correspondence seen by EG, sent to leaseholders of a property in the vicinity, raised concerns over a lack of clarity on the number of people it would accommodate.
Other fears were that there was no justification provided for extending licensing activity of its existing permissions at Wogan House, and that there was no reference to noise or disturbance to residents regarding music, taxis and increase in visitors.
Residents also claimed there were no rubbish and smoking considerations, no mention of who could enter the premises, and no justification for off-sales.
The group added that it could already hear noise from the BBC’s piazza and from Portland Place.
The BBC’s application also showed it is seeking permission to supply alcohol to drink on and off the premises 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Despite this, a spokesperson for the BBC told EG that it was not true that the BBC Club has a 24/7 bar, and that it would not support one.
The broadcaster added there would be very little change to its existing operations. It said the space the club would relocate to had already provided a café for staff and holding area for audience members of BBC shows for several years.
That space is next to the central BBC newsroom, which includes live studios, meaning that noise levels would likely need to be kept to a minimum.
Entry and exit would be via the Broadcasting House reception, while standard regulations would apply in terms of rubbish collection and smoking, since the site is within the W1 campus.
It would only be open to members of BBC staff and audience members for specific events, not the general public.
Broadcasting House and the BBC’s W1 estate already has a live recording licence since it has several music studios, such as the Radio Theatre.
A spokesperson for the BBC said: “While we are always mindful of our neighbours, we don’t expect they will notice much – if any – change to the day-to-day business at Broadcasting House.”
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