URGENT: IF YOU WANT YOUR OPINION TO COUNT, PLEASE WRITE YOUR COMMENTS HERE BY TUESDAY 30TH OCTOBER!!

Alice in Winterland is an event that will mean the north half of Southwark Park will be closed for private commercial use from 7th November 2018 - 11th January 2019.

This is a public park paid for by the taxpayer. It should not be closed for private enterprise for 2.5 months. Residents around the park will be subjected to months of disturbance caused by amplified music and large numbers of visitors (capacity 2,000) every consecutive night, seven days a week from 3pm - 10pm.

The park is a designated Site of Importance for Nature Conservation which is also home to a rare species of bat called Nathusiuspipistrelle which will be in hibernation at this time. The noise and lights for this prolonged time during the late evening hours will disturb the hibernating bats and other wildlife.

This Victorian heritage park is in lovely condition and the grass will turn into a sea of mud in the wet weather, what with the trailers, huts, equipment, lorries etc. despite trakmats. The organisers know this and have offered an undisclosed 'damage deposit'. Locals don't want the park destroyed in the first place.

The area already suffers from a high level of ASB.  Weekend events have resulted in muggings at nearby cashpoints. The event organisers will be providing SIA trained security staff within the perimeter of the event, but they cannot control what happens outside the event. Street guides carrying directional signs do not provide any element of security, nor should they be expected to.

If the organisers and council think the event is a success, this sets a precedent and we will find the park constantly closed for months at a time for private events.

www.aliceinwinterland.org (for more information)