Row over Alexandra Palace plans to host 30 days of events in park

A row has broken out over plans by Alexandra Palace to host 30 days of events in the park outside.

Bosses at the Grade II-listed north London venue, affectionately known as the Ally Pally, wants to vastly increase the number of outdoor performances it currently hosts.

The increase, from up to 10 per year, is partly motivated by a need to find extra income with a huge £26.7million restoration of its east wing underway.

It will include several large-scale events for up to 50,000 people alongside plays, films, music and dancing.

But some residents have complained about the number of days affected and say it will blight their lives with extra noise, overcrowded public transport and stop families or walkers from using the park regularly.

One neighbour complained the impact from visitors was already a burden, especially from unruly darts fans after contests at the venue.

He wrote: “I have been threatened and abused verbally by attendees when entering my home and forced off the W3 bus by noise, overcrowding and hammering on the bus windows by men carrying plastic tankards of beer.”

Another claimed they had filmed darts fans urinating in the streets around the famous venue.

And another neighbour said: “Given the number of events, it is likely that there will be noise and crowd disturbance for every day of every weekend throughout spring and summer months.”

A licensing hearing at Haringey council on Thursday heard the number of planned event days had already been reduced from the original target of 42.

Councillors will make their decision on the application public this week. If approved, there will only be 11 events in the first year, including the annual fireworks display, summer festival and Red Bull Soapbox Race.

Louise Stewart, Chief Executive of Alexandra Park and Palace said: “This licence application will enable us to host a multi-disciplined, seasonal arts programme, which will complement the programming of the restored Victorian Theatre, due to open in Autumn 2018.

“This expanded programme will also enable us to increase the amount of funding we generate towards our charitable purposes to support our restoration projects, such as the current East Wing project, and the long-term care and maintenance of our stunning parklands and visitor facilities.

“The park alone costs over £500,000 per year to maintain and as a charitable trust we are highly reliant on income from activities held here.

She added: “The charitable trust is committed to being a good neighbour and this application will allow us to responsibly and professionally manage a programme of outdoor events in the park within a safe and transparent framework.”