If what Jane2 writes is correct, it does not make any sense at all for the Horniman to need an alcohol licence for more that 100 people, absolute max. Why does it need one for more than 10,000??

I don't disagree with most of what you say Jane2 but they can do most of what you state already. They key to the issue is the little difference between a licence for up to 10000 people and one for 14999. If they are worried about being one or two over then they shouldn't be running events that they can't control in the first place. Also if you don't live on the doorstep which I suspect you don't, then you would be far enough removed from it all not to really be concerned about the impact. Some of us have painful Memories still of the last badly run event. No one is trying to put the Horniman out of business just want a common sense approach. I'd love to enjoy a nice beer or glass of wine up there but would personally want to
see major improvements in the quality of the food before choosing to spend money on alcohol to go with it.

So your objection to the alcohol licence is based on the quality of food in the Horniman restaurant? I dont know whether the licencing laws accomodate that kind of requirement but I'm sure the Horniman can commit to serving food that Rick Stein wouldn't sneer at. Also, you have to stop going on about the Jerk Cookout as if it was similar in scope to the Hillsbrough disaster. Talking without perspective leads people to make comments like...

Junegapi, you think that a licence for 100 people would be sufficient? Have you ever been outside? Seriously?

No, it isn't. Go back and read my posts again.

I have been at the Cafe' a couple of times and did not find the food to be of particularly good quality, also expensive compared to other places in Lordship Lane.

I was takeing sunday tea with my dear old friend next door yesterday,who has lived 'up on the hill' for many years.Over the second cup of earl grey she remarked,(in a very gentle way),how much nicer it was,years ago, when the people at the museum did'nt want to cook chicken for 20,000 people,and have a booze up for 15,000,people just wanted to live,and, enjoy thier home and not open nurserys in them,and your garden shed was safe!Oh for the old days. tiggywinkle (mrs)

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be. And the old days have gone. Not that they were as good as they were cracked up to be (for one things the hairstyles were worse, and the trousers very silly - look at BBC progs on the 70's).

Personally I think it was nicer years ago - I'm talking 50's and 60's - but you'd have to have been there to perhaps appreciate the difference. Of course, there was no internet or forum then, but you don't miss what you've never had and while it might be easy to dismiss some of the old ways - most were reliable and worked well.

I think that some of the recent differences of opinion that have become apparent on this forum indicate that there is a clear divide between the priorities of older and younger generations livng in FH - But that is probably the basis for a new thread.

It baffles me why you need alcohol for festivities. What a state we have got to.

Well said Brian!! How long before some bright spark wants a 'spliff' weekend down there?? sort of Amsterdam comes to Hornimans! tiggywinkle(mrs).

I remember "the good old days" when you could get drunk for a fiver, but I did not have a fiver!

You don't. It can make festivities a little more festive though. :-)

What an extraordinary comment! Humans have been celebrating with alcohol for at least a few thousand years. Am not saying that is good per se but it is in our culture.

Alcohol abuse is a different matter however, though by no means a new thing either. Are you seriously suggesting that the Horniman's licence application would be particularly conducive to this?

This post was last modified: 24-04-2012 12:53 PM by lacb.

Article in yesterday's paper: Horniman Museum booze plans threatened by jerk chicken 'pandemonium'

The last paragraph of the news article reads:

They added: "When we arrange large scale events the Horniman Museum always directs visitors towards using public transport, while pointing out that there is only limited public parking available in the area surrounding the museum."

This is pretty lame. We all know that if public transport isn't a convenient way of getting to an event and you have access to a car then you will use the car.

The area surrounding the Horniman cannot sustain a large influx of car based visitors and they should not hold events that will inevitably result in a significantly increased number of visitors travelling by car.

A nice pot of tea is also in our culture and I suspect that a good number of the public would be quite satisfied with just that.

But you can't help noticing the irony can you? Horniman's - a tea trading company - is applying for a licence for alcohol. Given their history and how their wealth was founded, you'd think they might have good reason to make a stand and give the booze a deliberate miss.

True and if they ever hold a tea festival, I will be be there drinking some.

However, I also enjoy a tipple and I don't see a reason to be a killjoy about this. They ran one event which they admit was too large. There is an opportunity to build a bridge here and support a fine local institution in their work. Which is rather removed from tea these days.

I am still not sure why we are banging on about one event. The Jerk Cookout was spoilt by a minority of people being idiots. The Horniman admited it had got too big and are not having another.

It's time to move on.

Let's close the museum. It is blatantly capable of hosting thousands of visitors on a normal day and all of them could potentially drive and park on our roads. Time to demolish this abomination of an organisation. Now, where's my online petition

absolutlyfumeing,what a FABULOUS idea!!Imagine living without this vexation of the spirit,this sword of damocles hanging over us!!show me the petition,I'll sign it! tiggywinkle (mrs). Ps It's only full of old junk anyway!!

Good idea!

Let's close everything!