Chelsea's neighbours score victory against plans for all-day events

Chelsea Football Club’s neighbours score victory against the team’s plans to use its stadium for all-day music events

• Chelsea had been seeking permission for a concert venue in part of the stadium
• The venue would have been open all year round with an all-day alcohol licence

Neighbours of Chelsea Football Club have scored a victory against its plans to use its stadium for all-day music events.

Hundreds of residents living close to the Stamford Bridge ground in Fulham, West London, banded together to raise objections following an article about the proposal in The Mail on Sunday in November.

The Premier League club had been seeking planning permission for a concert venue in part of the 41,000-seat stadium which would have been open all year round with an all-day alcohol licence.

But after talks with residents it has backed down, withdrawing its planning application with Hammersmith and Fulham Council.

Writer and local resident Kate Reardon, 54, said: ‘We are fantastically grateful to The Mail on Sunday for highlighting the situation, and without the paper’s intervention there is no way the residents would have been aware of the scale of the potential problem.’

Chelsea had been seeking planning permission for a concert venue in part of the 41,000-seat stadium

Writer and local resident Kate Reardon, 54, said: ‘We are fantastically grateful to The Mail on Sunday for highlighting the situation. Ms Reardon is seen at the Walpole British Luxury Awards in November 2019

The club, owned by US businessman Todd Boehly, had wanted to turn the ground – which is due to be redeveloped in the coming years – into a music venue with an alcohol licence from 10am to 11pm.

Ms Reardon, who has lived near Stamford Bridge for eight years, added: ‘We are thankful Chelsea have chosen to engage and listen to residents’ concerns.

‘What really frightened them was the sheer scale of the application. It would have given any future owners the possibility of making the residents’ lives a misery.’

‘Chelsea have been here since 1905, and their ability to influence the health and happiness of the neighbourhood cannot be understated.’

Ramzi Mroueh, 49, added: ‘We are relieved and very grateful that Chelsea FC listened to our concerns and pulled the application.’

Consultant Tracy Cox, 40, added: ‘I am just delighted at the way they responded to us once they found out how much it would impact everyone’s lives.

‘They actually got us into their offices to run through it all with us and then talk to us about other issues. I am really, really, pleased.’

The Stamford Bridge venue would have been open all year round with an all-day alcohol licence

Adriana Ennab, who also lives near the stadium, said: ‘It shows what is possible when the community works together towards a goal.

‘We couldn’t have done this without the support of our neighbours, local businesses and papers such as The Mail on Sunday.’

Chelsea FC was approached for comment last night.

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