City Sound Project obeyed licence terms

The Trustees of Westgate Hall would like to add context to last week’s report about vandalism and anti-social behaviour in the city centre during the City Sound Project festival, and to associated remarks attributed to the chairman of the St. Peter’s Residents’ Association, Richard Parkinson.

Mr Parkinson says he is writing to the council demanding a review of the Festival’s licence, as well as those of the Cricketer’s pub and Westgate Hall, both venues neighbouring St. Peter’s Lane (a residential side street off Canterbury’s high street). His reasons are vandalism to an 18th century church wall and graffiti sprayed in St Peter’s Lane, both carried out, he suspects, by people attending the music festival, and disturbance to residents by loud music and revellers.

Westgate Hall was one of the venues hired by City Sound Project. Our manager and trustees attended both events to ensure that CSP complied with its obligations.

We can confirm that CSP respected the terms of its licence, including music levels. The doors closed at midnight on Saturday and at 11pm on Sunday in order to minimise disturbance. Security staff covered both the Hall’s Pound Lane and Westgate Hall entrances throughout both evenings. Security ensured people leaving the Hall moved away quickly out of Westgate Hall Road, and out of the car park. Staff working the bar were rigorously trained not to sell alcohol to anyone intoxicated. After the event, litter was collected in the car park and in Westgate Hall Road.

Vandalism of any kind is upsetting and regrettable. We, too, are distressed by such behaviour as it has a negative impact on everyone in the area, residents and businesses. Unfortunately, there is no CCTV in St. Peter’s Lane or Westgate Hall Road which would help identify the culprits behind the incidents over the bank holiday weekend. Given the thousands visiting the city for this festival with people circulating between venues, it appears difficult to be sure where the culprits were coming from or going to or whether they were even part of the festival. Imogen Morizet On behalf of the trustees of Westgate Hall radio” that attracted headlines when he mentioned, in a few seconds of a jovial exchange with Nick Grimshaw on Radio 1, that he was still “a pikey from Kent”.

Anyone listening would have known it was said jokingly, in a spirit of affection about the place where he was born and bred.

Orlando, I feel sure, was referring to the fact he enjoys mixing with people from all walks of life. He is friendly, courteous and respectful, happy to meet, chat, sign autographs and take ‘selfies’.

I contacted the National Federation of Gypsy Liaison Groups, the official body for the welfare of gypsies, and their co-ordinator immediately said they were not in the least upset about his remark, since they realised the whole incident was blown out of all proportion: nevertheless, they appreciated his apology.

Orlando loves Canterbury, his hometown – and I know many people, as I do, wish he could visit the city a little more often, as his home is now in LA.

Nevertheless, he retains many links with Canterbury as well as happy memories.

He was patron of the New Marlowe Theatre Campaign; he is the first patron of the New Marlowe Youth Theatre, encouraging young actors however he can. He was voted by the general public as Kent’s Cultural Icon in the Canterbury Cultural Awards, 2014: The University of Kent bestowed an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Arts on him in 2010 in recognition of his contribution to film internationally.

We were also very proud when he received the Bafta Britannia Award for his humanitarian work with Unicef in recognition of his outstanding work for the rights of children around the world.

He appears from this week in a new film called Unlocked, a fasting-moving film with a terrorist theme and excellent cast. I can thoroughly recommend it. Pirates 5 is out soon: love it or not, one has to remember this franchise is loved by millions of fans, especially children, the world over. Sonia Copeland Bloom by email has provided a detailed statement to the court. Anyone wishing to see this statement, please contact us for a copy.

On page 2 you also published an excellent article about student accommodation. We have been asking the council for many years not to use prime residential sites in the city for student housing rather than for local people who are in desperate need of affordable accommodation. As a result of this deliberate policy favouring the universities, we warned that it would lead to the development of greenfield sites to make up the shortfall of local housing. We now have very large housing developments outside the city on greenfield land at Mountfield, Thanington, Sturry and Broad Oak. The council’s chief executive is on the governing bodies of the universities, but so far as we are aware, he has done little to discourage their great expansion. Barrie Gore Canterbury District Committee, CPRE Kent, Queen’s Head House, Ashford Road, Charing