West London Queer Project turned down for a street party

Images: The fire eater and stilt walker who performed at the Chiswick Flower Market’s first birthday celebration in Old Market Place

Chiswick Councillor objects

The West London Queer Project have had their application for a street party turned down by LB Hounslow.

The organisation, set up during Covid to create a positive social life for the LGBTQ+ community, has won awards and been given grants by both Hounslow and Hammersmith Councils for their work organising social events including everything from drag nights to charity walks and rugby, and networking events for gay parents.

They will be celebrating their fourth birthday on 25 August and wanted to hold a street party on the Sunday evening of the bank holiday weekend after that day’s market in Old Market Place, where the Sunday markets are held, between 5 and 9pm, with the party moving inside to the Boston Room of the George IV pub afterwards.

Both the George IV and the Old Fire Station bar / restaurant were on board. They had planned for the party to take place in Old Market Place between the two venues, with a stage and a line-up of drag queens performing.

Image: Aubrey Crawley with the celebrated drag queen / comedian Myra Dubois, who has performed at one of his shows at George IV before

Turned down because of the ‘fire station’

As the road will already be closed for the market, they were only asking for an extension of a few hours. They have been told by Hounslow Council the application has been refused because there has been an objection from one of Chiswick’s councillors.

Bizarrely, the Council told them:

‘Unfortunately, the Cllr’s has objected that this location is not feasible for the Street Party to take place. ‘They have indicated that the road is a service road that it has a fire station in site a busy road with busy car park.’

Aubrey Crawley, founder of the West London Queer Project, told The Chiswick Calendar he has tried in vain to explain the road will already be closed for the Sunday market, all they were asking for was an extension for a few hours, and the Fire Station is not an active fire station, but the name of a restaurant where an old fire station used to be.

Image: Aubrey Crawley, founder of WLQP (L) and Joe Leonard, COO (R)

Aubrey has been told the objector was Cllr Joanna Biddolph and written to her for clarification. He told us:

“I’m very disappointed and disheartened with the objection to our street party. The West London Queer Project was founded in Chiswick and over the last four years we have brought a lot of business into the area through our Touch Rugby, Football, Drag & Comedy Shows, community walks and film screenings/sing-alongs, so surely a street party that ends at 9pm, and that everyone is welcome to come along to, should not be too much to ask for.

“With the addition of the four Sunday Markets, Chiswick has become a very vibrant neighbourhood to live in and to visit, and it’s my hope and intention that WLQP contributes towards that by bringing some fun and community for LGBTQ+ people and our allies. I have of course appealed the objection.”

UPDATE TO THIS STORY Thursday 25 July: 

Cllr Biddoph has since replied to Aubrey explaining she could not support the street party because she did not approve of closing the car park, as she was worried about the effect that might have on local businesses.

After we published the story there was a huge response from people wanting the street party to go ahead, and the Council changed its mind:

READ ALSO: West London Queer Project street party in Chiswick gets the go-ahead

FURTHER UPDATE: Friday 9 August

After investtgating the matter, LB Hounslow put out a statement explaining a mistake had been made:

“Standard procedure for street party applications includes engaging with all stakeholders, including the ward councillors. In this case that included Cllr Biddolph who sought further information as per standard practice and made no formal objection to it.

“We have apologised to WLQP and Cllr Biddolph for any inconvenience or confusion caused in relation to the progress of the application.”

The street party is now going ahead on Sunday 25 August.

READ ALSO: Line-up announced for West London Queer Project’s street party in Chiswick

Read more stories on The Chiswick Calendar