Furious locals are demanding a wedding venue loses its licence as rowdy guests make their lives hell by revving their cars, setting off flares and fireworks into the night and even threatening them if they complained.
Residents living close to Impression Events Venue in West Ham, east London, have described the situation as a ‘nightmare’.
They want Newham Council to decide against renewing the venue’s licence at a hearing in January.
Footage shows screeching wedding guests setting off colourful smoke flares from processions of swanky cars and repeatedly beeping their horns in celebration as residents can be heard coughing in the background.
Other clips show attendees setting off fireworks with one holding one as it sparks, putting himself and others in danger.
People who have lived in the area for nearly 50 years say it used to be peaceful – but now claim they have to put up with hundreds of guests attending ‘two weddings a day’ in the summer months.
Some say they’ve even been threatened when trying to reason with guests, and that the council and the police do little to deter them.
One local, who has lung conditions, said she was once told to ‘move to the country’ if she didn’t like the parties, after telling flare-wielding party guests that she was having an asthma attack.
Others regularly have their vehicles damaged by guests, who are seen in videos driving flash cars in processions before weddings.
The venue was formerly a working men’s club, before reopening as a wedding venue around 2010.
Carly Allen, a mother-of-one whose family has lived in the area for around 50 years, says her dog is ‘petrified’ to go out when the weddings are on.
Wedding guests set off colourful smoke flares as they drive their cars around the residential street in West Ham, east London
Residents living close to Impression Events Venue in West Ham, east London , have described the situation as a ‘nightmare’
Carly Allen (pictured), a mother-of-one whose family has lived in the area for around 50 years, says her dog is ‘petrified’ to go out when the weddings are on
‘We are just sick of it,’ the 50-year-old said. ‘In the summer, there’s a wedding every single day – sometimes twice a day.
‘When they first started we used to go out and have a look. But after a while, you go: “I can’t live like this”.
‘It’s not like we live on a great countryside estate.
‘Every road gets blocked with cars and they all rev their engines before they go.
‘Why do you need a Lamborghini to drive in a 20mph zone?
‘Even if the venue shuts at 11, you are still on tenterhooks because you don’t know if they will set fireworks off.
‘When we try to speak to the venue, their attitude is: “Not our problem. It happens outside the venue”.
‘We call the police all the time, but they say to contact the council, the council say to contact the police… We are just fed up.
‘One of the neighbours is having chemo and limousines park in his disabled bay.’
Ms Allen added that though most of the weddings held at Impression were for South Asian guests, she would complain no matter whose event was keeping her up.
‘This has nothing to do with who they are,’ she said. ‘A few nights a year wouldn’t be a problem, but this is every day, twice a day in the summer.
‘I don’t go out when the weddings are on. If you take your car out, you won’t get back in.
‘We are not putting up with it anymore.’
Wedding guests also frequently set off fireworks during late-night celebrations which disturb residents who live close by
Footage shows attendees in swanky convertible cars setting off smoke flares whilst they drive
Tricia Ford, a resident with serious lung conditions living next to the venue, claims she was once threatened by party-goers.
The 63-year-old says her grandson is no longer allowed to visit her when the weddings are on, after nearly being struck by a car on one occasion.
‘I had an asthma attack when they were setting off flares around six months ago,’ Ms Ford, who has lived in the area for nearly 50 years, said.
‘I went outside to remonstrate with [the guests] – they were all sitting in their convertibles.
‘I said: “Please, no flares”. One of them lit a flare and said, “Take a picture of that!”. It was horrendous.
‘They said they would smash my car windows. The police didn’t even come.’
The threat was all too real for Ms Ford, who says wedding guests have hit her car four times, causing her insurance to rise.
She added that guests also regularly park in her residents’ spot, which she pays £150 a year to the council to have.
‘It has been an absolute nightmare,’ Ms Ford continued.
‘I am quite a patient person, but in the summer you literally can’t breathe because of all the smoke.
‘I don’t understand why the council let them get away with it.
‘If your MP, the local council and the police won’t help you, who will?
‘My son said he doesn’t want my grandson coming down here when it’s all going on.
‘That’s not fair, is it? The manager says: “There’s nothing I can do. It’s outside the premises”.
‘This is not the right area for this type of venue. It’s just ridiculous.
‘The hundreds of cars we get here… It’s unbelievable.
‘It’s completely and utterly crazy. Why are they letting them do it?’
Tricia Ford (pictured), a resident with serious lung conditions living next to the venue, claims she was once threatened by party-goers
Other locals regularly have their vehicles damaged by guests, who are seen in videos driving flash cars in processions before weddings
A notice on the outside of the venue building telling guests not to beep their horns, rev their engines or use smoke cannons and to leave quietly without making noise and to respect neighbours
An 84-year-old resident, who has lived near the venue for over 30 years, wrote to Newham Council calling for the ‘awful’ venue to be shut down.
In a letter to the licensing committee, she said that though she had tried to speak with Impression’s management on ‘numerous occasions’, she had been ‘fobbed off as an old lady whose peace and quiet doesn’t matter’.
‘The music from the venue bangs right into my windows, so much so that I can’t even watch the TV on full volume,’ she wrote.
‘I have even contemplated moving to an area where I do not know anybody and will lose my support network of friends because of this club.
‘It is affecting my mental health. It stops me from sleeping.
‘I cannot have my windows open in case there is a party. All the smoke bomb fumes come in my windows and affect my breathing.
‘My children and grandchildren do not visit as they are nervous of the intimidating groups of young men that hang about outside the club when the parties are going on.
‘The revving coming from the cars that come down my street – it is a very narrow street and it is one way – is so loud it stops me from doing anything.
‘The fireworks at 12pm frighten the life out of me and leave me trembling.
‘I do not know how this club has ever been allowed to do what they do in a residential neighbourhood as small as ours.
‘This club has an awful [effect] on our community. It makes our area an awful place to live.
‘I do not just want to oppose their license; I want this club shut down once and for all.’
Other locals, however, disputed how loud and how late the parties are.
‘It never goes on too late,’ one woman said. ‘By 11 it’s all finished. The bride and groom come in the afternoon.
‘I enjoy looking out and seeing the cars. I like it. If you keep your windows shut, you can’t hear it.’
An 84-year-old resident, who has lived near the venue for over 30 years, said: ‘I do not know how this club has ever been allowed to do what they do in a residential neighbourhood as small as ours’
Guests are frequently seen setting off smoke cannons, despite this being against the venue’s rules
Residents want Newham Council to decide against renewing the venue’s licence at a hearing in January
A wedding procession of cars seen letting off colourful flares on the residential street in east London
A spokesperson for Newham Council said: ‘As the licensing authority, it would not be appropriate to comment ahead of the licensing committee meeting on January 12.’
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: ‘We understand how instances of anti-social behaviour are upsetting to local communities and we take all reports extremely seriously.
‘We are aware of reports of anti-social behaviour in the area around Hamilton Road, West Ham.
‘Local officers have attended to investigate reports but no criminal offences or suspects have been identified.
‘The majority of the reports relate to complaints about noise, parking or licensing matters.
‘These are matters for the local authority and we are working to support Newham Council.
‘There have not been any reports of criminal damage, but we would encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim of a crime to contact the police on 101.
‘We continue to patrol the area on a regular basis to provide a visible presence.’
Impression Events Venue refused to comment on the matter when approached by the Daily Mail.
