South Ealing Assyrian Centre Seek To Reassure Over Licence Application

Follows objections by local residents for the centre to open later

Trustees of the Assyrian Centre on the South Ealing Road which has applied to extend its opening hours say they want to work with the community to try and address any concerns.

The Centre which is located at the junction of Temple Road and the South Ealing Road, is applying to  open from 5pm until midnight Monday - Thursday and until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays and 1am on Sundays.

The application has caused upset locally with objectors citing that if approved it will lead to more noise, parking problems and anti-social behaviour issues to deal with in a small residential area.

One complainant has written to the council urging the application be refused, he says: '' I think that the proposed licensing applications should not be allowed as the complex, densely populated, urban environment that is South Ealing as the immediate area has already been stretched further than it can handle and that the increased proposed activity around the Assyrian Centre will serve to put undue stress and strain on the existing residents and on the local infrastructure.''

However, one of the trustees for the centre, Bob Babakhan, says there has been misinformation and confusion regarding the application which he stresses is not an alcohol licence but for entertainment and music to enable the club to open later for a few specific events.

He acknowledges that some members may have been noisy leaving the building at times in the past and says: '' We understand the situation and respect our local neighbours and our trying our best to address these concerns.''

He does however feel they are often unfairly blamed for the behaviour of customers from elsewhere who pass the centre from local pubs and bars and have, he says, on occasion used their grounds as toilets.

The Assyrian centre which has been there for forty years and is the only one of its kind in the country, provides a service for Assyrian Christians, including a variety of language classes and social activities for the youth and the elderly. The licence extension application, he says, was a generic one to enable the centre to open later for specific events, but he says these would amount to no more than a handful each year.

Mr Babakhan has extended an invitation to the local community to meet him and see exactly what the plans are and hopes the situation can be resolved amicably.

September 26 2018