UEFA Champions League final: Plans for outdoor watching spots from Trafalgar Square to Hyde Park

Published date19 April 2024
Publication titleMyLondon (England)
There are also plans to carve out Champion League fan zones in Hyde Park and Victoria Embankment Gardens for the June 1 match. The plans, which also include increasing the number of major events from 10 to 15, was slammed by objectors who have accused Sadiq Khan's office commercialising the popular public square

Analysis carried out by a licensing expert hired by objectors claimed the proposals posed a risk of environmental harm through increased noise, congestion, litter and public nuisance. The analysis, which formed part of the submission to Westminster City Council, which is responsible for issuing licensing for events in Trafalgar Square, said: “This application appears to stem from a desire to make events in Trafalgar Square more commercially profitable, without at the same time enhancing the provision of ‘public goods’, such as improving the general appearance, maintenance and supervision of the Square and its accessibility to all.

"The proposals would significantly intensify licensed uses, attracting large crowds on a regular basis. Using Trafalgar Square in this way risks enlarging the area of the West End identified in the City of Westminster’s 2020 and 2023 Cumulative Impact Assessment exercises as experiencing the most intensive negative cumulative impacts.”

Some said it undermined Trafalgar Square’s symbol as a British cultural icon. One person wrote: “Alcohol-fuelled football and some other sporting events are clearly not befitting of a platform of Trafalgar Square's status and significance. Aside from the tangible damage and vandalism we know events like this cause from recent experience, allowing more and more to...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT