Thank you for explaining, Les. I do not agree though, that the interests of the “families and home businesses” were ignored by TLRA.
Since Piplings delivered their “I support Piplings” posters I have looked, when passing, to see how many are displayed in windows. I have only counted 4, along most (but not all) of the roads on the hill. Of course, that does not prove anything, but it does give some indication that not everyone on the hill is giving public support for Piplings. Perhaps many do not feel “ignored by TLRA”.... ...?
Even though I love hearing children play, have no problems at all with people parking outside my house (as they do for the school and every Horniman event) and am perfectly happy for anyone to smoke in the road - I could not support Piplings now because:
1. I think businesses should go through the necessary processes to open in accordance with the law, rather than starting up and hoping to get things passed afterwards.
2. Some of their supporters’ posts on this forum have been untrue (all this silly stuff about every other business now being under threat) and downright unpleasant.
3. A nursery for 24 children, with the required number of adults making it over 30 people - in a house and garden built for a family, is simply too big. (Why on earth could they not have stuck at fewer in this residential area, leaving their other premises for their bigger nurseries?)
It is not TLRA which is “bringing the area into disrepute.” It is the people involved in 1 and 2 above.
In answer to your question about whether I have ever written in support of an application – yes, on every occasion that I have been asked to support something that seemed reasonable. I haven’t written when the people wanting my support have not bothered to introduce themselves and ask me for it – as in this case.
Lastly, I’m not sure what these “delaying tactics” are. I wonder how quickly it is possible to book a venue and organise a meeting of several hundred people. As for the money TLRA has spent – I think I read on this forum that it was around £260. That seems to me a reasonable amount of money to spend on a group of 40-or-so residents who asked for TLRA support. And since I pay only £5 per year for my whole household’s subscription - I’m happy with that.