Decision made on pool party plans for inner-city car park

Decision made on pool party plans for inner-city car park

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THE PROPOSED BIRMINGHAM EVENT WAS MET WITH OPPOSITION FROM BOTH WEST MIDLANDS POLICE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 14:09, 03 Jun 2025 Birmingham Council has decided not to allow a women-only


‘pool party’ in an inner-city car park to go ahead amid safety concerns. The individual behind the plans said the event in Newtown would have featured “guest DJs" and “only ladies”


would have been allowed in the pool for safety reasons. But a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) application, for a car park at 30 Lower Tower Street in Newtown, met with opposition from both


police and Environmental Health officers. READ MORE: D-DAY FOR BIRMINGHAM SKYSCRAPER PLANS WHICH COULD CHANGE SKYLINE FOREVER “The activity being held is a pool party event,” the notice


application read. “There will be guest DJs from within the UK. “A changing room will be provided for safe, private and secure outfit change.” Article continues below The application said DJs


would play recorded music to “coordinate the audience” while female security staff would also always be present to ensure safety. It added there would be a “maximum of 25 ladies in the


pool” with water guns. But West Midlands Police objected to the application, saying it had requested information from the applicant to ensure the event was safe and promoted the licensing


objectives. “To date adequate responses have not been received,” the force’s licensing team said previously. Mark Swallow, police licensing officer, also said the car park site was “not in a


fit state to stage a safe event of this nature”. “I don’t feel the site is in any way suitable at this time for hosting the proposed activity,” he told a licensing meeting last week. “It


would be dangerous as there are numerous hazards.” One picture, submitted by the police, showed a poster advertising the ‘18+ pool party’, tied to the fence of the car park. “There’s a sharp


contrast between the advertising picture and the reality behind the fence,” Mr Swallow added. 'VERY CLEAR RISK' Harry Bevington, from Environmental Health, also told the meeting


on May 28 that he was concerned by potential “noise break-out” at the outdoor event. “The applicant proposes a pool party with DJs and amplified music in an open-air private car park [...]


with up to 450 attendees,” he said. The individual behind the application told the meeting: “I’ve tried my best to figure out all the requirements and do everything that’s required.” He said


he was keeping certain requested information “for last” as he made sure the site was suitable to host the event. “I need the place clean first,” he said. “I’ve spoken to the owner of the


place and he’s assured he’s cleaning the place - I was there myself yesterday to see the progress.” READ MORE: BIRMINGHAM MP WEIGHS IN ON HMO DEBATE AMID ‘BREWING PROBLEM’ IN ONE AREA The


applicant also told those at the virtual meeting that the sound and equipment would be managed by a contractor. But the licensing sub-committee ultimately decided to issue a counter notice


to prevent the event from taking place. The council’s decision notice read: “Having considered the submissions of West Midlands Police and Environmental Health, members determined that to


allow the event to proceed at the premises was a very clear risk to the licensing objectives”. Article continues below These included prevention of public nuisance, public safety and the


prevention of crime and disorder. “Members were not confident the proposed event could run well due to the objectives not being met,” it added.