Unlicensed outdoor drinking was frequent

Camden Council has granted an outdoor drinking licence to the hotel underneath Somerton House.

Somerton House residents fear they will have to walk past drunken revelers to get to their front door up until 10′o’clock every night. They are unhappy that in front of their homes there is now a large beer garden.

Twelve separate objections from local residents were lodged, but the licensing panel were swayed by the professional arguments of Premier Inn’s solicitor.

Two local residents addressed the committee highlighting issues such as:

• The Premier Inn’s history of unresponsiveness to concerns raised by local residents; they sited an ongoing five-year battle against a noisy air conditioning unit installed without planning permission as evidence.
• The Premier Inn’s inability to police it’s currently licence arrangements, pointing out that outdoor drinking has been a daily occurrence during the recent hot weather
• The detrimental effect the noise of outside drinking would have on residents’ wellbeing, adding as it does to the barrage of other noises that the hotel creates.

Residents are disappointed that none of their concerns were taken on board by the Licencing Committee. Many residents of Somerton House are Council tenants with specific health needs that will not be helped by this additional imposition on their lives. We feel the Council is once again failing in it’s duty of care to Safeguard vulnerable residents.

The Premier Inn’s solicitor’s statement centred around the fact that his client’s hotel was a “premium product” and they would not permit anything to damage the brand’s reputation. This assertion was clearly accepted by the Committee despite the fact that residents had highlighted numerous examples of the Travel Inn’s less than premium conduct.

Procedural anomalies

The Committee members were not acquainted with the unique overlapping layouts of Somerton House and the Premier Inn, and all present agreed that the diagram provided was insufficient to accurately convey the full impact their decision will have. Indeed, Travel Inn solicitor John Gaunt himself had to apologise to the committee for mistakenly misrepresenting the layout of the premises.

The Licencing Committee representative seemed unaware of the ongoing investigation underway by his own department into breaches of the current licence, so this fact was disregarded.

Residents believe these two pieces of evidence would have a profound impact on the decision and are of the opinion that the Council should have ensured these points were presented to the committee.

Drinks on pavement

Somerton House Residents’ Association Chair Simon Lamrock, corrected John Gaunt’s assertion that no open drink containers would be taken onto the public footpath. In fact the largest of the two drinking areas can only be accessed via the public footpath. Residents are very concerned that this fact will inevitably lead to groups of drinkers blocking the pavement and causing a nuisance.

Mr Lamrock asked if a site visit was possible. The panel said this was possible under the rules. We have since noted on the Camden Website that adjournments for site visits are possible.

Some minor conditions were added to the license:

• there is to be absolutely no drinking on the pavement outside
• there should be frequent litter picks and glass collection.
• residents will be given a number to call if they have issues (020 7554 3400)
• a nominated employee will be responsible for policing the outside areas at all times

Residents returning home after the hearing were greeted with the unpleasant site of beer glasses full of cigarette butts uncollected on a table outside the Premier Inn. We remain concerned that this represents the hotel’s real commitment to our local neighbourhood.

We are disappointed that the Council has again chosen to put the financial interests of a large business above the welfare of it’s own residents.

Residents of Somerton House, and other local parties who feel that they wish to respond to this application can make a representation online at the Camden Website. The closing date for representations is Tuesday 25th May 2010.

The new license application would allow alcohol to be consumed both inside and outside until 1am, every night.

The new license would also allow for both recorded and live music to be played.

Click here to leave your representation with Camden.

Shaylor were contacted directly by a resident, and once aware there was an issue, took immediate steps to remedy it – we must send our thanks to the Shaylor construction company for understanding the problems of shared communal access and acting quite so swiftly.

As matters reached a head yesterday, we received word from the Chair of Somerton House TA, Simon, that the Premier Inn were disappointed in the action taken, although we must stress it was not taken by the TA. It was by coincidence that SHTA contaced Camden to ask for advice, which resulted in NCP parking services making daily inspections of the shared route. Although this wasn’t our initial intention, SHTA exists to ensure the wellbeing and safety of our community, and that remains our top priority.

Premier Inn’s General Manager, Mark, has contacted Simon to arrange another routine meeting with the TA, even though Premier Inn Euston have shown some concern over the course of events. Mark is positive that we can keep our friendly relationship, and that together we will find solutions to the issues we each have which are beneficial to us all.

We look forward to meeting Mark once again as a Tenants’ Association, and hope that the hotel’s suppliers and logistics companies accept our request that they are represented too. We will take the opportunity to thank the hotel for the work they have completed to the kitchen extractor vent.

• A couple of weeks ago, vans from a company called ‘Shaylor‘ started parking at the base of the access ramp.
• This was followed by hotel residents cars being parked pretty much anywhere in the car park.
• And now, once again, delivery vehicles are reversing, completely unattended, down the access ramp.

This time we’ve tried to put a stop to things quickly. It turns out that Premier Inn are aware that their large 5 ton delivery vehicles are reversing down our shared access route. Premier Inn are aware that it shouldn’t be done, and admit that they are allowing it to happen.

Vans from Shaylor causing Sunlight problems navigating the car park

If you read back, you’ll see how we had so much hope that with a new manager, Premier Inn would turn a new leaf, and live up to the environmental and community aspirations it claims to uphold on the Whitbread website.

For reference, Whitbread use several logistics companies to handle their deliveries – these drivers should be given route information before they leave, containing any special instructions. Kuehne & Nagel, Sunlight and DHL Tradeteam are the offending companies at the heart of the problem.

Mark has been at the Premier Inn Euston for a few weeks, so this was a good time for a ‘get-to-know-you’ meeting, and gave us a chance to introduce ourselves and further the relationship between Whitbread and residents of Somerton House.

The meeting gave us a chance to discss possible new practices which Premier Inn hope to introduce to help mitigate instances of noise nuisance – mostly from deliveries and their recycling facilities. We made sure to commend Premier Inn Euston on the practices it put in place following our last meeting – all appear to be working.

We’ve discussed the possibility of residents using their lift while ours is being replaced, and will discuss this further when we’re given a more accurate timing from Camden Council. The General Manager was positive that this would be a good way for Premier Inn to help its neighbours when they need it most.

Premier Inn are in the process of applying for Planning Premission from Camden Council to install the much needed sound insulation to the rooftop air conditioning plant. There are several stages besides planning permission, including health & safety. Although it’s essential to help residents to have a good night’s sleep, we’ve to wait in the queue for the permission to be granted. SHTA intends to write to our Councillors to ask if they could help to oil the wheels of bureaucracy.

We’re also not averse to raising ideas to help the profile of Premier Inn, and have suggested cycle and cycle hire facilities.

We haven’t set regular meetings, but now that we’ve introduced ourselves, we’ve an effective way for SHTA and Premier Inn to discuss any matters arising.

In an amazing catalogue of ignorance and errors, it took Whitbread two years to buy a new sign, and when it arrived they refused to erect it.

Whitbread employ a property consultant, Gerald Eve, to look after their buildings. Gerald Eve have an intricate understanding of the lease, and other legal documents between their client and Camden Council. They are paid by Whitbread to use this knowledge in the best way for Whitbread – and the evidence to dates suggests they are exemplary at this task. Gerald Eve chose to enforce a tiny line in the documentation which said it was Camden Council’s responsibility to fit the new sign.

The Tenants’ Association is still quite astounded that Gerald Eve felt quite so bold as to hold Camden Council to account, after all it wasn’t Camden Council who removed the old signage. When we approach Gerald Eve they advise us of their client, Whitbread’s environmental credentials. Those same environmental credentials prevented them spending less than an hours profit from their coffee shop, to put right their wrongdoings.

Whichever way you look at it, FOUR months of wrangling between Whitbread and Camden Council is unacceptable, so when the Police and Ambulance added their names to the long list of those upset at how difficult it was to find Somerton House, we approached BAM, who are erecting the new Unison HQ tower. BAM under contract of Unison kindly helped us to erect the sign. It didn’t take them four months.

In helping everyone to drag their heels quite so well, Gerald Eve has proven that, despite its ability to manage commercial properties, they have a severe lack of understanding of the relationship between the commercial and residential parts of mixed buildings.

Everyone at Somerton House extends a warm thank you to our neighbours Unison  and their contractors, BAM , we commend them for being neighbourly and their helpful ‘can do’ attitude towards life & community.

The hotel put procedures in place to make use of the car park and access ramp safer for all of us, and to manage delivery vehicles. Gerald Eve, Whitbread Group’s property consultant, is arranging an enclosure for the roof mounted air conditioning units. Unfortunately this needs planning permission, and there doesn’t appear to be a fast track process available.

Noise from the kitchen extractor vent, which can be quite loud in residents’ bedrooms, is being investigated. In the meantime the hotel have pledged to ensure the vent is switched off between 11:30 PM and 04:45 AM – though their timer appears to be faulty. If the noise from the kitchen vent is a nuisance to you, call Premier Inn London Euston Reception on 020 7554 3400 and ask them to switch it off, politely.

A meeting is being arranged for residents to voice their issues over noise coming into their flats.

Issues on the agenda mainly focus around noise – whether it be from the air conditioning equipment on the roof, the kitchen extractor fans beneath us, the garbage compactor, recycling or deliveries.

SHTA will also touch on several Health & Safety issues which have been going on for far too long – such as large delivery wagons reversing down and then blocking our access ramp. We know the outside drinking can be a problem during the summer months too.

If the way Premier Inn, Costa Coffee or No. 1 Duke’s Road, which are all owned by the large corporation Whitbread, cause your home life detriment, and you are a Somerton House resident or live in the local area, please let us know by leaving a comment below, we’ll raise issues you’re concerned about.

Also at the meeting will be Gerald Eve, representing Whitbread’s property portfolio, and Councillor Jonathan Simpson.

SHTA has contacted the Whitbread group on many occasions, and given the group extended the Premier Inn hotel at London Euston some years ago, issues have dragged on for quite so long that we’ve taken official steps to try to force Whitbread to remedy the situation. This includes speaking to the lisensing, planning, environment and health & safety departments of the Council regarding the day-to-day running of the Hotel cum coffee shop and bar, as well as the London Fire Brigade over serious fire safety concerns we share.

We’re used to living in the centre of such a big and vibrant city, and we know all too well how noisy, and intrusive living in such a unique area can be. We also take the area, the historical importance of it, and the times where we can rest and recuperate, very seriously indeed!

The date? No, we’re not giving you an April Fool early. We really are meeting with them, after all this time!

A filter has been installed on the extractor fan limiting some of the noise emanating from the car park level.

Permier Inn staff have been instructed not to operate the garbage crusher after 8pm.

Despite numerous requests from SHTA and the hotel management the Sunlight delivery company continues to wake residents at unreasonable hours and block the communal driveway with their noisy vans. We are talking to Sunlight laundry services and hope to make progress regarding this matter very soon.

Whitbread plc, which owns Premier Inn, employs Gerald Eve as property consultant and management company. We are expecting a representative to meet us very soon to discuss several issues:

• Costa Coffee’s use of the front access ramp – including the partition section removed to give customers and staff a short-cut.
• The lack of acoustic shielding around the roof and kitchen air conditioning plant
• The use of the communal drive as a loading bay and blocking access to emergency vehicles.

Gerald Eve really need to act soon, to resolve these issues, thereby improving the quality of life for all residents of Somerton House

At a recent meeting with hotel manager Stephen Luck and the hotel Housekeeping Manager, SHTA was assured that the Somerton House sign will be repositioned shortly. It is currently obscured by the Costa Coffee awning and large umbrellas, Mr Luck has very recently apologised for the inconvenience this is causing residents over the last eighteen months or so.

Latest Updates on progress are posted at ‘Exit Gate Locked for Safety’  in Communal Living and News.

SHTA have brought this to the attention of the Hotel and the many contractors parking in the bays, but it still continues. We have now informed the council who have instructed their Car Park Contractors to make visits.

If you have a vehicle that is parked without a permit, now is the time to re new your permit or remove your vehicle before the Car Park Contractors make their visits.

Update 29/09/07: New signs have been afixed by the Hotel, informing their guests and contractors not to park in residents bays.

Update 08/02/08: Hotel contractors now use the Church carpark and no further problems with residents parking.

Update 10/04/08: There have been no further problems with builders parking in residents bays – just in front of their garages, but not so frequently.