Anti-Social Behaviour At Wembley Student Accommodation
I have been a resident of Alexandra Court, Empire Way for 10 years. During this time I have chaired our community group and Met Police SNT (Safer Neighbourhood Team) panel as well as being on the Wembley Stadium residents consultative committee. So I have a good grasp of what concerns locals.
When I moved here in 2005 Wembley was an almost closed down suburban outpost. The new Stadium was under construction but with no firm date as to when it would open.
When I look out of my window now I’m looking at a completely new Wembley. The transformation is incredible and most welcome.
However, much of the project doesn’t appear to have been very well thought out and planned. I will write about these various issues in other blogs. For now I want to discuss the student accommodation in Lakeside Way, opp Wembley Arena.
Anti-social behaviour originating from this property started in its first year. It was a subject brought up at SNT meetings with the police. Many emails and phone calls were made to the management of the property and to Brent Council.
I was led to believe that the police issued warnings and one or two students were punished. I think a low level of drug taking was found to be going on. I suppose this is standard with students. But what has continued to disturb me, and members of our community group, is the drinking, noise, random vandalism, and large groups of students out on the street late at night / early morning. The Brent ban on street drinking is very clear but doesn’t appear to be valid in Lakeside Way.
Of course we have to expect a certain amount of drunkenness and high jinx with students and no one I know has an issue with this. What I take exception to is the verbal abuse many locals have faced from a small minority.
The students have cheap booze on tap via Tesco and The Arena Mini Market. When large groups assemble outside the accommodation, drinking, the security responsible for the Quintain Estate don’t appear capable of dealing with it. Just last week two coach loads of students were dropped off in Empire Way and took part in a large party. When the students were waiting for their coaches to pick them up they were singing football style songs and were verbally abusing many locals or anyone walking by. Security pitched up, took one look, and walked away.
I walk by the accommodation every night on my way home from work. On at least 5 occasions in the past month, large groups of students have been on the street outside the property.
The management of the property, in my opinion, are both incompetent and arrogant in response to any complaints. Brent Council have never bothered to reply to any complaints I’ve made. The local SNT seem to have gone missing. Councillor Muhammed Butt determined to only be part of positive PR when it comes to the new Wembley.
I’m not here to throw scorn on the project but there’s many problems with it which I, and others, are trying to help nip in the bud.
Most of the students go about their business and don’t cause a problem but there appears to be a section of them who seem determined to live up to a cliche. Students getting drunk is nothing new. But taking things to the point of vandalism, verbal abuse and a kind of gang thuggery is another.
I’m hoping to speak with Prodigy who manage the property in the next week or so and will report back.
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I have continually been complaining about the noise and abuse that students have been subjecting the residents to in Lakeside Way. Only this evening a young Chinese couple were publicly, verbally abused on Lakeside Way by various students and the language was extremely racist an unrepeatable. I contacted the management about this sort of behaviour almost 18 months ago and sent videos of the actual complaints and after the initial e-mail I have never received another reply. The security inside the student building and the Wembley security are an utter waste of time, Wembley cane clearly see the situation that is happening outside the building but until a phone call they do nothing and then it is only minimal. I was told by Cllr Butt to send him videos pertaining to the noise, which I did to no avail and to no reply “ever”. I was told by the noise nuisance team that they could not do anything because the noise did not come from inside the building but out in the street and they refused to come out to even see. This is quite clearly a problem that needs to be addressed.
Excellent comment – I’m meeting with the excutive on Wednesday in charge of this property – I will highlight this comment -Tim
I would say that you have recorded the incidents and as the council and security are not replying to your complaints and not solving the issues but you have no alternative but to inform the local newspapers and London Live TV station. See if you’ll get a response from that!
Yes- this is happening