Irresponsible, illegal (?) public events

[slarti b]

The junction of Calton Avenue, Court Lane and Dulwich Village was temporarily closed off under emergency measures on the basis this would help the fight against Covid by allowing social distancing.

However, an organisation has used this opportunity to promote a series of concerts and other events in the closed off area. I have seen a video showing about 70 people there last weekend which, in my opinion, is totally irresponsible and also seems to contravenes government guidelines (if not laws).

Is there a department in the council responsible for ensuring compliance with Covid regulations and to whom we can report this anti-social behaviour?

See https://www.friendsofdulwichsquare.co.uk/ for past and future events.

[bels123]

Anti-social behaviour...seriously!

People outdoors listening to some music for 1 hour in the middle of the day, whilst helping out local businesses too.

[slarti b]

Does being a friend of Mary Newens Plaza, sorry, Dulwich Square, mean you are exempt from the law or considerate behaviour to your fellow citizens? If so, what hypocrisy.

[slarti b]

You seem to have no idea we are in the middle of a pandemic. Look at this and tell me if it complies with Govt guidelines and rules about public events.

[alice]

I?m with you sb. I?m contacting the council tomorrow.

[mrwb]

Really? Doesn't look any different to people in the park or on the beach.

I would say the road closure is absolutely ridiculous though. Going to be total gridlock from September.

[KalamityKel]

mrwb Wrote:

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> Really? Doesn't look any different to people in

> the park or on the beach.

>

> I would say the road closure is absolutely

> ridiculous though. Going to be total gridlock from

> September.

It's a difficult one to call because yes it is just like going to the park/beach but the difference here is that as organised events it is encouraging people to group together... hence irresponsible of those organising it.

[march46]

Remembering that you?ve previously said you are part of One Dulwich, this post and your views are not surprising.

It smacks of sour grapes.

I went to the first event and it was great. Very much the opposite of the division One Dulwich refers to. Elderly people bringing chairs with them to sit for a short while and enjoy lovely music, whilst the cafe was doing a roaring trade of ice creams.

slarti b Wrote:

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> The junction of Calton Avenue, Court Lane and

> Dulwich Village was temporarily closed off under

> emergency measures on the basis this would help

> the fight against Covid by allowing social

> distancing.

>

> However, an organisation has used this opportunity

> to promote a series of concerts and other events

> in the closed off area. I have seen a video

> showing about 70 people there last weekend which,

> in my opinion, is totally irresponsible and also

> seems to contravenes government guidelines (if not

> laws).

>

> Is there a department in the council responsible

> for ensuring compliance with Covid regulations and

> to whom we can report this anti-social behaviour?

>

>

>

> See https://www.friendsofdulwichsquare.co.uk/ for

> past and future events.

[i*Rate]

Funny, I though that junction was closed off because it was one of the most highly polluted junctions in Dulwich?

Bring back the traffic then and stop all this fun and music nonsense.

Pip.Pip.

[fredflinstone]

sounds abit like the puritans cancelling christmas- lets ban music fun dancing and all of forms of joy.

Its a lovely happy socially distanced event

Sour grapes by One Dulwich- people enjoying themselves- ! how frighful !

[nxjen]

One of the stated reasons the junction was closed was to enable social distancing during the pandemic. These events seem to be at odds with that. Another reason was to encourage active travel. People congregating in this manner create an obstacle for both cyclists and pedestrians.

[JohnL]

I suspect it is intended to be permanent

[Cyclemonkey]

Small outdoor socially distanced events are legal surely? If you can go to the pub why can't a few older people sit apart from each other and listen to music outside?

Honestly this is the most mean spirited post since people threatened to report the ice cream shop for legally selling ice cream. We need to be careful but you get the feeling some people aren't happy unless everyone is miserably sitting at home eating their "essential food".

[fredflinstone]

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those who think they have a 'human right' to drive their car half a mile are intrinsically mean spirited.

I use the term 'human rights; because on the One Dulwich web site one of their supporters uses the phrase :

'the closure of the Village junction is against my human rights"

for goodness sake!!!!

In a few years time using your car for short distance journeys in the city will be frowned on like smoking is now

those who wish to retain this dubious 'right' will stoop to ever lower tactics to fight change, including

try to stop happy, socially distanced, and joyful music events.

Cyclemonkey Wrote:> Small outdoor socially distanced events are legal

> surely? If you can go to the pub why can't a few

> older people sit apart from each other and listen

> to music outside?

>

> Honestly this is the most mean spirited post since

> people threatened to report the ice cream shop for

> legally selling ice cream. We need to be careful

> but you get the feeling some people aren't happy

> unless everyone is miserably sitting at home

> eating their "essential food".

[JohnL]

Cyclemonkey Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Small outdoor socially distanced events are legal

> surely? If you can go to the pub why can't a few

> older people sit apart from each other and listen

> to music outside?

>

> Honestly this is the most mean spirited post since

> people threatened to report the ice cream shop for

> legally selling ice cream. We need to be careful

> but you get the feeling some people aren't happy

> unless everyone is miserably sitting at home

> eating their "essential food".

They're old and we as a nation don't like the old doing things - it's not seemly.

Imagine if those in care homes started to complain about their lot.

[ED - NAGAIUTB]

i*Rate Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Funny, I though that junction was closed off

> because it was one of the most highly polluted

> junctions in Dulwich?

>

> Bring back the traffic then and stop all this fun

> and music nonsense.

>

> Pip.Pip.

Source of this information?

Also, whilst we accept how busy this junction can get, the work Southwark did 2 years ago made the traffic considerably worse, especially the change of priority to enter Court Lane. That alone created a log jam over the junction and was deliberate IMHO to screw the figures to justify the closure.

[Spartacus]

Cyclemonkey Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Small outdoor socially distanced events are legal

> surely? If you can go to the pub why can't a few

> older people sit apart from each other and listen

> to music outside?

>

> Honestly this is the most mean spirited post since

> people threatened to report the ice cream shop for

> legally selling ice cream. We need to be careful

> but you get the feeling some people aren't happy

> unless everyone is miserably sitting at home

> eating their "essential food".

The current guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do#social-contact-and-events limits gatherings (see section 2) and whilst there are exceptions to the rule of a maximum of 30 people there needs to be a risk assessment in place

However as pointed out in another thread Southwark are not licensing events at the moment so there is a question mark hanging over the legality of the events on the square.

Sadly as seen in Spain, France and locations like Preston and GM, the virus isn't under control yet and it just takes one person to infect a group (remember the wedding in India where the groom infected a whole load of guests)

Whilst the figures are low in Southwark it just takes one infected person regardless how they got it, to see a local spike and we will all be in the news for the wrong reason.

I agree, the pub is just about the same or a higher risk, but as there is a register of attendees then there is the ability to quickly 😏 identify people from a track and trace perspective.

Personally I won't be attending any events on the new square, not just because I believe it's a council pet project that has been forced through without proper consultation, but because I don't want to end up breathing through a tube and suffering post viral side effects (long covid) like so many have

[tomskip]

Couldn't put it better Spartacus.

Concern over events like this is not mean spirited, it's easy to write people off as irrational or not to be listened to in that way. It seems like there is much sticking fingers in ears and going La La La happening all around us. And obviously I include the council with their road closure programme in that!

[Rockets]

If they want to organise events in the middle of the road good luck to them.

I think the images that come from it powerfully communicate and resonate why this closure is completely ludicrous, self-serving and benefiting a few of the local (wealthy) residents whilst causing chaos and havoc for everyone else and I don't see anything in the videos they put out that doesn't scream that!

Don't get it banned - it's a very powerful visual metaphor! ;-)

[Cyclemonkey]

Chaos and havoc!

[seenbeen]

the raised kerbs are completely camouflaged and dangerous

[JohnL]

I keep having to remind it's a world wide phenomenon - but some just do it better then others.

https://padailypost.com/2020/08/11/street-closures-to-help-restaurants-will-continue-through-the-year-council-likes-covid-surcharge-on-restaurant-bills/

[Earl Aelfheah]

Cyclemonkey Wrote:

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> Chaos and havoc!

Is this a Donald Trump tweet?

[Abe_froeman]

If you really want to put a stop to it just phone the police on Saturday and tell them there is an unlicensed music event / block party going on.

[alice]

Yes that is the advice I was given by Southwark council today.