The licensing sub-committee of Richmond upon Thames Council met to discuss an application for a new premises licence for the Allianz Stadium on Whitton Road, Twickenham. The sub-committee decided to grant the application in part, limiting the number of major non-sporting events (Category B) to three per year, with only one allowed on a day other than a Saturday. They also set conditions for Category C events, including limiting outdoor events to the north or west concourse and car park, and limiting the number of outdoor Category C events to 28 days per year, with a maximum capacity of 2,500 people.

Allianz Stadium Licence Application

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) applied for a new premises licence for the Allianz Stadium, seeking to update the existing licence granted in September 2018. The application requested several changes, including:

• Setting clear hours for entertainment and alcohol sales at larger events.
• Amending restrictions for indoor events, allowing 36 events to finish at 2am, primarily for graduation ceremonies, weddings and corporate events.
• Allowing outdoor events with alcohol sales and entertainment ending by 11pm.
• Implementing clear and enforceable conditions to promote licensing objectives.

According to the officer's report, the applicant categorised licensed operations into three categories:

• Category A: Major sporting events in the stadium bowl.
• Category B: Major non-sporting events, such as live concerts, also in the stadium bowl.
• Category C: Events not covered by A and B, including banqueting and conferencing.

The RFU sought to remove restrictions on Category A events, specifically the limit on incidental live music events and for Category B events, they requested the removal of the condition limiting non-sporting events to three per year, with only one on a non-Saturday. For Category C events, the application requested permission for licensable activities until 11pm for outdoor events and to permit 36 indoor events to continue until 2am.

Applicant's Representatives

Ewan McGregor, representing the applicant, emphasised the importance of the stadium to the RFU and the local community, highlighting that 85% of the RFU's revenue is generated by the stadium, with all profits reinvested into rugby. He stated that the application aimed to future-proof the licence, protect the local community, and maintain council control over stadium operations.

Alex Cohen, Stadium Development Director at the Allianz Stadium, spoke about his experience in managing large-scale events, including his previous role with the Avon and Somerset Police and Bath Rugby. He highlighted the RFU's investment in managing the area outside the stadium, known as Zone X, with 137 stewards and 24 dedicated to preventing antisocial behaviour. Cohen also mentioned a declining complaint rate, with fewer than three complaints per event on average.

Community Concerns

The council received 192 representations against the application and 13 in support. Concerns raised by interested parties focused on:

• Public nuisance, especially from patrons dispersing from the stadium.
• Crime and disorder, antisocial behaviour, and public drunkenness.
• Protection of children from harm.
• Public safety, particularly regarding the public transport system.

Several residents expressed concerns about the impact of events on their daily lives, including road closures, noise levels, and antisocial behaviour. Some residents said that they felt unsafe in their own neighbourhoods during and after events.

Eamon Delaney, a resident of Whitton Road, described the area as Zone X and said that residents are routinely asked for identification and inhibited from making emergency medical evacuations . He said that residents regularly suffer the indignity of drunken adults urinating on our property, shouting, swearing, and sometimes fighting in the streets, in full view and earshot of our children .

Rebecca Thompson, another local resident, raised concerns about the impact of the proposed changes on children, saying that the disruption to their daily lives would lead to a negative impact on their educational attainment and their mental health .

Council's Decision

The sub-committee granted the application in part, with specific conditions:

• Category B Events: Limited to a maximum of three events per year, with only one permitted on a day other than a Saturday.
• Category C Events: Outdoor events restricted to the North or West Concourse and Car Park, limited to 28 days per year, with a maximum capacity of 2,500 people. Indoor events were permitted up to 36 times a year, finishing at 1:30am, with a maximum capacity of 2,500 people.

The sub-committee also imposed general conditions relating to the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm.

The decision notice stated that the sub-committee considered that retaining the conditions would promote the licensing objectives with specific reference to the Prevention of Crime and Disorder, the Prevention of Public Nuisance and the Protection of Children From Harm.

The sub-committee recommended that the applicant better engage with local residents and further consider dispersal methods for large-scale events.

Procedure and Declarations of Interest

Councillor Lesley Pollesche, chair of the sub-committee, outlined the procedure for the hearing. Councillor James Chard declared that he had attended an event as a guest of the RFU in 2019 in his capacity as Deputy Mayor, but did not consider this to be a conflict of interest.

Representations in Support

Stephen Lloyd, who chaired the police liaison group for the ward between 2020 and 2024, spoke in support of the application. He said that planning meetings are held before events, where the public can provide input, and that there are debrief meetings after events where the public can provide feedback. He also said that he had spent a day in the control room for a game and that what he had heard about how event days were run was wrong.

Planning Considerations

The sub-committee acknowledged the separate regimes of planning and licensing, but recognised some crossover in objectives. The applicant's representative, Ewan McGregor, stated that the planning permission establishes the permitted use of land, while licensing focuses on the operation of the premises. He said that the RFU was seeking to remove conditions from the licence that were already covered by the planning permission.

Zone X

The concept of Zone X, the area beyond the stadium boundary, was discussed in detail. Alex Cohen clarified that Zone X is a nationally recognised term imposed by the Sports Ground Safety Authority¹ and includes the roads around the stadium, the A316², and the area around the train station. He said that the RFU invests more in the management of Zone X than any other major stadium in the country.