Birmingham women's ‘pool party’ won't go ahead amid safety concerns

The individual behind the plans said the event in Newtown would have featured “guest DJs” and “only ladies” would have been allowed in the pool for safety reasons.

But a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) application, for a car park at 30 Lower Tower Street in Newtown, met with opposition from both police and Environmental Health officers.

“The activity being held is a pool party event,” the notice application read. “There will be guest DJs from within the UK.

“A changing room will be provided for safe, private and secure outfit change.”

The application said DJs would play recorded music to “coordinate the audience” while female security staff would also always be present to ensure safety.

It added there would be a “maximum of 25 ladies in the pool” with water guns.

But West Midlands Police objected to the application, saying it had requested information from the applicant to ensure the event was safe and promoted the licensing objectives.

“To date adequate responses have not been received,” the force’s licensing team said previously.

Mark Swallow, police licensing officer, also said the car park site was “not in a fit state to stage a safe event of this nature”.

“I don’t feel the site is in any way suitable at this time for hosting the proposed activity,” he told a licensing meeting last week. “It would be dangerous as there are numerous hazards.”

One picture, submitted by the police, showed a poster advertising the ‘18+ pool party’, tied to the fence of the car park.

“There’s a sharp contrast between the advertising picture and the reality behind the fence,” Mr Swallow added.

Harry Bevington, from Environmental Health, also told the meeting on May 28 that he was concerned by potential “noise break-out” at the outdoor event.

“The applicant proposes a pool party with DJs and amplified music in an open-air private car park […] with up to 450 attendees,” he said.

The individual behind the application told the meeting: “I’ve tried my best to figure out all the requirements and do everything that’s required.”

He said he was keeping certain requested information “for last” as he made sure the site was suitable to host the event.

“I need the place clean first,” he said. “I’ve spoken to the owner of the place and he’s assured he’s cleaning the place – I was there myself yesterday to see the progress.”

The applicant also told those at the virtual meeting that the sound and equipment would be managed by a contractor.

But the licensing sub-committee ultimately decided to issue a counter notice to prevent the event from taking place.

The council’s decision notice read: “Having considered the submissions of West Midlands Police and Environmental Health, members determined that to allow the event to proceed at the premises was a very clear risk to the licensing objectives”.

These included prevention of public nuisance, public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder.

“Members were not confident the proposed event could run well due to the objectives not being met,” it added.