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Just to clarify, as I had a number of emails (I have replied to the polite ones and ignored the abusive one) and one phone call yesterday evening.I have nothing to do with parks other than maintenance activities like cleaning and the park ranger service. Gunnersbury is run by an independent Community Interest Company owned 50% by Hounslow and 50% by Ealing councils. It is led by a board comprising a senior council officer from each council, 4 independent directors (albeit originally nominated by the two councils) and an independent chair. The CIC determines what events it will welcome, though they are subject to review by LBH licensing and (where relevant) planning committees. I have no responsibility at all for GP, as the cleaning etc is arranged by the CIC.Any revenues from events in GP are retained by the CIC and the ambition of both Hounslow and Ealing councils is to retain the whole park for public use (a previous non-Labour administration proposed building houses on it), refurbish and reinvigorate it in partnership with funding bodies like the Heritage Lottery Foundation. The CIC is targeted to derive its funding as far as possible from revenue streams within the park - cafes, sports facilities, events - to minimise subsidy from Hounslow and Ealing Council Tax payers.I used to be ward councillor for Gunnersbury Park before the May elections when the boundaries changed and in the past have sat on both planning and licensing committees which are of relevance to events in GP. No longer.

Guy Lambert ● 1464d

Guy Lambert explained" And the ambition of both Hounslow and Ealing councils is to retain the whole park for public use (a previous non-Labour administration proposed building houses on it)"Are you not aware Guy, that any such developement was and is totally ptohibited by the provisions of the Gunnersbury Park Covenant ? As explained by a local resident, Maria Cuhna on this very forum, in 2013quote: local resident Maria Cunha has raised the issue of the Rothschild Covenant which protects Gunnersbury Park.Writing to Alpha Plus Group Ltd and The Falcons School for Girls she asks:Are you aware that Gunnersbury Park is protected by the Rothschild Covenant of 1925, renewed in 1926, that stipulates that the Park is to be used solely as a public park or sports ground?As quoted in the above law report, the Councils undertook by deed that:“they will not use the land and hereditaments for any purpose other than as a public park or sports ground and that the mansion houses and buildings on the saidland…shall not at any time…be used except for such public purposes as may be ancillary to the use thereof as aforesaid…”Yvonne Johnson, the Chair of Gunnersbury Park Joint Advisory Panel, has been asked to comment on this matter.April 18, 2013endquote:Guy Lambert went on to explain" I used to be ward councillor for Gunnersbury Park before the May elections...and in the past have sat on both planning and licensing committees which are of relevance to events in GP. "Given which, it does seem somewhat surprising that you should be toally unaware of the above issue. Which surfaced again in 2013.michael adams

Michael Adams ● 1464d

" Hounslow Council asked them to cancel but they refused."I'm sorry but that's simply back-covering PR.Hounslow Council as well as anyone else who looked into the matterm would realise that having paid all for all the artists, and the extensive infrastructure installed over the previous week, canceling the concert would not only have cost Waterworks money - it would most likely have bankrupted them, possibly costing people their homes had they been used as loan collateral. The CIC couldn't order then to cancel as Waterworks could then sue the CIC; who would then need to be bailed out by the Councils. Which would then end up on next years Council Tax bills.What they *could* and *should* have done, either the Councils or the CIC IMO, is *order* Waterfworks to turn down the volume - the punters would have to lump it, out of respect and everyone would end up happy.The fact that Waterworks PR and website is truly nauseating  probably goes with the territory, and has no real bearing on this IMO . That's what ponytails do. As it is, its hard to see how those attending at full volume dom't end up with eventual hearing loss for which they could presumably sue someone - the CIC, the Councils, in years to come; Waterworks having gone bankrupt in the meantime. Possibly they already pay higher rates of public liability insurance to cover such eventualties; as they must do already presumably, given the danger of any one of those trees falling on people michael adams

Michael Adams ● 1464d