Zanzibar motorcycle races on kirkdale

[sydenhamgardener2]

Anyone else been kept awake by the clientele of Zanzibar riding motorbikes or quads up and down Kirkdale? Drop an email to noiseandnuisance@lewisham.gov.uk and call 101

[Gaddison]

Yep, I have been as well. Unbelievable!!! I called the cops around 1.10am. Seems to have only just to have dispelled, after at least an hour and a bit of it. Horrendous noise, must have woken All of Sydenham surely!! Have complained to environmental health and licensing sgt as well. Please can others as well!?

[Rbhee]

Yes - it was awful! Thank you for calling the police - I thought it was never going to end! Thanks for the email address too - I will definitely email them.

[Rachael]

Are they connected to Zanzibar or did they just decide to hang out there this particular night? There are several quad bike riders who race up and down Mayow Road, during the day as well as at night.

[broken_shaman]

For the past 4 years or more I've lived here, I often hear the sound of racing engines from cars, motorbikes and probably those quad things in the early hours.

[Jacks]

They were also going up and down Silverdale at around that time last night....delightful.

[MrT]

Sydenhamgardener2, you seem to have a hidden agenda, you automatically associate the bikers with the Zanzibar without the slightest bit of checking. These bikers have been racing all over Sydenham for at least the two to three years now, at all hours of the day. The question you should be posting is why did it take the Police whom we pay millions to keep our streets safe, almost two hours to send a squad car to disperse these bikers. They where aware of theses bikers and could clearly see them racing on the local cctv cameras well before the public started to call in. They made a conscious decision that large groups of boys racing at 60 to 80 mph on a main london road was not a priority and did not require an immediate response (maybe they just wanted the situation to look bad on the club and give residents like you a reason to complain and peddle your bias line ???)

[susan]

I, too, called the police (101) last night regarding the quad bikes, motor cycles and general noise in Kirkdale around the Zanzibar Club area. They said they had received lots of calls regarding this, so it does beg the question why the racket went on for the best part of two hours.

MrT, whilst there is no evidence that they were connected to the Zanzibar club, there is insurmountable evidence that the beeping of horns, discarded litter, urinating in gardens, illegal parking and general inconsiderate behaviour IS connected to the Zanzibar club, which negates your supposition that the police "wanted the situation to look bad on the club..." The club have done a superb job of making themselves look bad without any outside help from bikers or such like.

Roll on September when this is sorted out one way or another in court.

[Eagle]

Susan

Well said. I agree welcome the date in September , but surely can only be one result if the enquiry considers the local opinion.

[goonerchamp]

MrT connected to the club by any chance!? Hmmmm I wonder. The bottom line is that club attracts nosey unsociable people who have no regard for the local residents. And that in it's self should allow the council to intervene and ensure the club is held responsible. IMO!!!

[mosy]

Yes, the club should be responsible for their own patrons but should hardly be blamed for bikers generally.

Does anyone know why the offending bikes are so noisy? Is it like when they used to take mufflers off mopeds since modern bikes are quieter than ever. Velocets used to be incredibly noisy although I doubt those are today's bike of choice.

Regarding the club nuisance, what do people think the club should do to control its exiting patrons? Serious question. It seems the club itself isn't really a problem but the parking and bad behaviour outside/around the club. I know the simple answer would be to hope it closed but it seems the council is trying to allow nightlife but without bending over backwards to accommodate it to the detriment of residents. So any positive suggestions that could be implemented to make it acceptable?

Incidentally, back on bikers, is it a police problem? I have a feeling that noise nuisance is a council rather than police problem isn't it. I'm not even sure about speeding since it's been decriminalised to fines in Lewisham. I'd have thought "causing a public nuisance" was still police though if it's obviously "a meet".

[Eagle]

Re your middle paragraph Mosy.

I am not sure what if anything the club can do to control the anti social behavior of its clientelle.

However the club should not have a late license as seems to attract dubious sorts from miles around.

How much benefit if any does Sydenham get from the Club ??

How many clients are local. Judging by the cars possibly none.
How many staff are local ?? I have no idea but suspect not many.

Be interesting to know where all the dubious gentlefolk originate from ??

It is certainly inconvenient they urinate in public./

[susan]

* Odd that none of Lewisham's elected councillors have chosen to comment publicly on the Zanzibar topic.

*Odd that urine streaming from men's exposed penises on a public highway is not classed as indecent, or even grossly indecent.

*Odd that relocating the Zanzibar to a less residential area (railway arches perhaps?) does not seem to have been considered.

*Odd that the greedy desires of the FEW (Zanzibar owners) are put ahead of the humane desires of the MANY (Sydenham residents).

Just some of my personal thoughts.............................................

[admin]

Susan,

To be fair Councillor Chris Best chaired a public meeting on the Zanzibar nuisance last week at which Councillor Liam Curran also spoke: http://sydenham.org.uk/zanzibar-appeal/

Chris has also posted here several times about the Zanzibar issue (do a search on 'Chris Best').

I do not know whether the racing and the Zanzibar are connected so we should be careful in not confusing these two maybe independent hazards to our community.

Admin

[chrisj1948]

I do not know whether the racing and the Zanzibar are connected so we should be careful in not confusing these two maybe independent hazards to our community.

I agree. I have noticed the quad bikes racing up and down the High Street quite often in the last fortnight. I suspected (without evidence) that someone had started hiring them out locally.

Regards
Chris

[corvid]

While I am no fan of Zanzibar and the misery of Friday and Saturday nights round here these days, it's not possible to connect the quad biker & racers directly with the club.

I do suspect there was some degree of showing off to the crowds standing around on the pavements, but I do know the club staff would DEFINITELY prefer it if these guys weren't around - I did chat with the parking attendant at the end of our road.

One of the guys seems pretty young and pelts around on that quad bike with no helmet. I'm no expert, but I would suggest that is a police issue if for no other reason to stop him wiping himself out. Think they live up Wells Park Road somewhere - I've seen them around a few times.

[chrisj1948]

One of the guys seems pretty young and pelts around on that quad bike with no helmet. I'm no expert, but I would suggest that is a police issue if for no other reason to stop him wiping himself out.

A helmet is only obligatory on a powered two-wheeler, not quads or trikes.

Regards
Chris

[Eagle]

Corvid


Sounds like they emanate from the large council estate in WPR.

If so council rents too low as beggars belief someone on subsidised housing can afford such things.

[MrT]

Just to be clear and open to everybody concerned. MrT is the username of Terence Reid the new operations Manager at the Zanzibar nightclub and I will be trying to engage as much as possible with local residents with a view of minimising any disturbance from our patrons. Constructive suggestions will be welcomed email address clubzanzibarsydenham@yahoo.co.uk

[Bunty]

Walking home from bar 161 a couple of weeks ago I witnessed the Zanzibar at opening time, close to midnight. Cars strewn everywhere, unpleasant clientele arguing with local shopkeepers and the highlight of one of the security guards using the side of the bridal shop as a urinal. Disgraceful. Feel so sorry for those who see this week in week out.