A proposal to open a new AGC in Hanwell, Ealing, has now led to public demonstrations against its opening, and drawn thousands of objections from disgruntled locals, whipped up by a flurry of messaging from prohibitionists that both lack credible evidence and defy  actual truth. 

An application from Red9Nine to open a new location in what was once a Barclays Banks has now been the focus of two different protests outside the vacant location, with the most recent last weekend seeing appearances from both local MP Deidre Costigan as well as other local councillors. 

Citing the usual litany of false accusations against industry operators, such as concerns over a growth in anti-social behaviour – a principle which is simply not backed up by official police authority records anywhere in the country, the protestors have insisted that the approval process for Red9Nine’s application go before Ealing Council’s planning committee, rather than be given the usual go-ahead from a single planning officer. 

Of course, the fact that Red9Nine has operated another location in Denmark Hill for years without apparent incident seems to have been overlooked by Ealing’s prohibitionist lobby. 

But whilst according to local press outlet Ealing News the council has now received over 2,000 individual objections to the opening, the same paper admits that it’s really only a “core group of 40 residents” which is driving a “coordinated campaign to…email councillors and mobilise supporters.” 

Welcome to the new world order for licence applications.