Concerns about live music events at South Dock

I received an email from a local resident last night raising concerns about the increasing frequency of "Dockstock", the live music event that takes place in the dry dock area (the Boat Yard) of South Dock.  Dockstock has a Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Dockstock2013.

A number of residents in the immediate vicinity feel very strongly that matters are getting out of hand.  Initially, this was supposed to be an annual event, which was completely tolerable, but this year three licenses have been granted for the event, the third of which will take place in the Boat Yard on the 31st August 2013 and there is no indication from Southwark Council about how many more will be issued in the coming months and years.

Apparently, complaints directed to Southwark Council about the increasing frequency of what was supposed to be a once-a-year event have resulted in the response that the events are for the local community and that large numbers of land based residents attend these Dockstock events.  However, the matter of the disruption to those living in the immediate vicinity remains unaddressed. 

I have not attended of these events myself, and live far enough away to be unaffected by them, but I am always worried when events that are supposed to be restricted suddenly become rather less restricted, and controls on activities that impact local residents are relaxed to the detriment of all those living nearby.   At the very least there ought to be locally agreed restrictions on the number of annual licenses issued for the event.

If you share residents' concerns about the increasing number of live music events at South Dock the best way to express those concerns is to email South Dock Marina’s dock master Patrick Keating (Patrick.Keating@southwark.gov.uk) and our local Southwark Council representatives Paul Noblet, David Hubber and Lisa Rajan (Paul.Noblet@southwark.gov.uk; David.Hubber@southwark.gov.uk; Lisa.Rajan@southwark.gov.uk).