Police object to proposed ‘pool party’ event

Police object to proposed ‘pool party’ event in inner-city Birmingham over safety concerns

Alexander Brock - Local Democracy Reporter | Friday 23rd May 2025 11:07am

Police have objected to a proposed ‘pool party’ event in an inner-city area of Birmingham.

The individual behind the plans said the event would feature “guest DJs from within the UK” and be held at a car park at 30 Lower Tower Street, Newtown on June 14.

But their Temporary Event Notice (TEN) application attracted concern from both West Midlands Police and environmental health teams and is set to be considered by a city council licensing sub-committee next week.

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

“Only ladies will be allowed in the pool for safety reasons and a changing room will be provided for safe, private and secure outfit change.”

It said  DJs would be playing recorded music to “coordinate the audience” while a “maximum of 25 ladies” would be in the pool with water guns and pool balls.

The Temporary Event Notice said female security would always be present to ensure safety.

“There will be four mobile toilets provided, two for males and another two for ladies at opposite ends of the venue,” it said. “There will be off-the-shelf cocktails and soft drinks.”

West Midlands Police said it 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.

“West Midlands Police would therefore wish to object to this application due to the impact this may have on the crime and disorder and the promotion of public safety licensing objectives.”

A second objection from Environmental Health said: “Having looked over the details of the TEN application, this is an outdoor event, with ‘DJs from within the UK’, with residential premises proximate to the area.

“Furthermore, there is a ‘pool party’ element, which gives rise to my concerns around public safety.”

The city council said no actual permission was required to carry out a licensable activity on a temporary basis.

An applicant must merely give notice of their intentions to operate a licensable activity to the relevant authority.

“However, the police or local authority exercising environmental health functions may intervene to prevent such an event taking place or agree a modification of the proposed arrangements,” it said.

“Their intervention may in some cases result in the licensing authority imposing conditions on a TEN.

“Where a TEN is submitted, the licensing authority must consider the objection(s) at a hearing before a counter notice or a notice including a statement of conditions can be issued.”

A licensing sub-committee will  consider the objections at a meeting next Wednesday, May 28, before issuing the TEN or a counter notice.

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