Day 076 - 18 Jan 95 - Page 03
1 A. I am on the Executive Committee. I am the Honorary
2 Press and Publicity Officer.
3
4 Q. The Residents Association's work, how would you sum up the
5 purpose of the work which you have been involved with since
6 1979; what is the purpose?
7 A. Well, the Association was actually formed because we
8 were having trouble with the pub in the street and it had
9 become rather an insalubrious kind of place. So, we formed
10 an association to challenge its licence which we did
11 successfully and they changed landlords. They took it very
12 seriously. We then kept going. We have an annual street
13 party and we have four meetings a year at which all local
14 issues are raised.
15
16 Q. But what is the primary concern of the Residents
17 Associations that you have been involved with?
18 A. I think it says so on our notepaper something about
19 protecting the quality of life of Smith Street and Woodfall
20 Street which comes under our umbrella.
21
22 Q. I am sort of looking at your statement as I am going
23 through. You have said: "Ever since McDonald's opened at
24 the corner of Kings Road and Royal Avenue our street has
25 suffered from pollution by environment/index.html">litter". Could you give an
26 account of how the restaurant was opened and the residents'
27 response to the plans to open and then to the opening of
28 the restaurant, around that period is what I am saying,
29 just give an account of what was happening.
30 A. I do not think we really became -- we were aware that
31 McDonald's was going there but, to be absolutely frank, we
32 were very glad that they were going to Royal Avenue and not
33 the corner of Smith Street which was their original
34 intention. They tried to get a licence in the building
35 just behind our houses and we opposed that, and they then
36 went to what was then Drummonds Cafe and took that over
37 because it had an existing A3 licence. So, we, in effect,
38 were rather glad that they had gone to Royal Avenue, I am
39 afraid.
40
41 Q. What was the reason for that, though, what was your
42 concern?
43 A. Oh, mess and late night noise. It is the late night
44 noise actually that has been our major concern because the
45 longer people stay eating outside our houses, they may drop
46 environment/index.html">litter all over the place but it is the slamming of doors
47 and the revving up of car engines and the late night
48 departures that we suffered from most.
49
50 Q. But regarding environment/index.html">litter (which is what we are primarily
51 concerned with), you were concerned about potential environment/index.html">litter
52 problems?
53 A. Oh, yes, yes, it came up at every residents' meeting.
54
55 Q. Has the concern about environment/index.html">litter problems come up at meetings
56 since McDonald's actually opened?
57 A. Yes.
58
59 Q. Regularly?
60 A. As a regular thing, yes. I would not say it was every
