Nearly eighty local residents and a Labour councillor have objected to Charlton Athletic’s plans to host a “fan zone” outside The Valley.
The club has erected a small three-a-side football pitch by the stadium’s West Stand, and has applied for a licence to serve alcohol, show films on a screen and play music.
While the fan zone has been operating on temporary licences, the club wants to make it permanent as an attraction for families coming to matches.
But 79 local residents have signed a petition against the plans, and Charlton Village & Riverside councillor Jo van den Broek has also objected to the plans.
The club has applied to open the fan zone from 9am to 9.30pm, seven days a week, but says the wide-ranging hours are only in place to cover different kick-off times.
Police have not objected to the plans, but have suggested that the licence only applies for mens’ and women’s matchdays, and the club would have to ask for permission to use it for other events. The Met has also said that no away fans should be served.
Van den Broek said that the 9am to 9.30pm hours were “unreasonable” and would “make normal life impossible for residents” whose homes back onto The Valley.
“When events are held like the open day a couple of weeks ago, sleep is impossible, gardens unusable and even with windows shut within the house, residents cannot go about their daily lives,” she said.
“We have already had a great deal of problems in the area around the football ground with antisocial behaviour and general noise and rubbish from people drinking in this area. It is particularly disturbing to children and lone women.
“Given that this is a crime hotspot, I feel that increasing the availability of alcohol would only add to the problems.”
The club’s licence application will be heard by a panel of councillors next Tuesday morning, with a decision announced a few days afterwards.
Apart from a seven-year exile from 1985, Charlton have played at The Valley since 1919, and the ground was once one of the largest in England.
The stadium can hold more than 27,000 fans, although with the men’s team having been stuck in the third tier for the seven of the past eight seasons, crowds are now regularly at about half that level. The side are now fifth in League One after a draw with Rotherham on Saturday.
The club’s women’s team have now moved into The Valley full-time, and opened their Championship season on Sunday with a 3-0 win over Portsmouth.
Last week it was reported that the rugby union side Wasps could move into The Valley next season, to which neither Charlton nor Wasps responded to requests for comment.
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