Advertiser letters: Time Out Market and run for bowel cancer

Letters, contributions and comments sent in to the Advertiser this week.

Market proposal concerns

David Donoghue, vice chairman, The Spitalfields Society, writes:

I am writing on behalf of The Spitalfields Society which represents over 150 local tenants and families in the residential area immediately surrounding the proposed site of Time Out Market planning application, 106 Commercial Street (Ref: PA/19/02404).

There is an enormous concern over the proposal amongst neighbours, particularly since the scheme has already been refused by both planning and licensing.

The revised proposal is only a very marginal improvement on the previously rejected one, but in some respects is far worse.

It has totally failed to meet a large number of critical community and safety objections that will adversely affect residents' lives as follows:

The application is in the middle of the Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ) which was set up by Tower Hamlets specifically to reduce the cumulative adverse impact and ASB of ever increasing licensed premises and ASB incidents in the area.

The venue still proposes to pack 350 customers plus numerous staff into a lively, crowded and noisy party atmosphere. This will invariably contribute to a large increase in ASB and worse, will severely compromise the residential amenity and the management and welfare of the existing nearby pub and restaurant operations.

The proposal will create further congestion on the tightly packed pavement and adjacent roads.

The lack of any parking, dropping off points, delivery bays, traffic control etc will cause disruption, collisions, congestion and ASB.

The loss of the stone ramps that served the various levels of stabling within this historic building is highly damaging. They must be preserved.

There are many alternative and available sites that do not suffer from the above problems.

The proposed site is more suitable as a non-drinking venue for retail or office use for which there is known demand.

Please note that the saturation of the area with food and alcohol outlets, coupled with the recent large increase in the number of Old Spitalfields Market drinking spaces is leading to an unacceptable number of visitors thronging our already overcrowded narrow pavements, busy roads and perilous crossings.

Relevant too is the inadequacy of fire exits: onto Hanbury Street obstructed by wheely bins with rubbish, and into Puma Court through the almshouses occupied by a mix of vulnerable elders with mobility problems and families with young children.

Please note we wish to be represented at any Planning Committee hearing.

Why not take up running challenge?

Sean Fletcher, presenter of Countryfile and Good Morning Britain and Bowel Cancer UK ambassador, writes:

What's your New Year's resolution? If you're looking to take up running or aiming for a new personal best and you want to do it whilst helping to save lives, then we've got a challenge for you.

This January, Bowel Cancer UK is launching Challenge 2020. A virtual run you can take at your own pace. All abilities are welcome.

Each kilometre you finish represents a person whose life has been affected by bowel cancer. With 42,000 people diagnosed each other, 268,000 living with the disease and 16,000 sadly dying from bowel cancer every year.

But with your help, we can change this and stop people dying of bowel cancer.

- Sign up today on Bowel Cancer UK's website: bowelcanceruk.org.uk/challenge2020