The South Bank Centre is planning to bring Udderbelly to Hungerford Car Park (next to Jubilee Gardens) this summer. The venue, a giant upside down inflatable purple cow, will offer entertainments and alcohol until 11pm in the week and 1am at weekends.

CHORA has arranged a meeting on 14 April at 7.30pm in the South Bank Centre boardroom to enable owners and residents to discuss the plans ahead of the planning and licensing application hearings.

Udderbelly is an entertainment venue aimed at young people that has previously appeared at events such as the Edinburgh Festival. The aim is to give local young people experience of running a live entertainment venue.

CHORA has already quizzed the South Bank Centre about the potential noise and nuisance from the venue, particularly in light of the proposed licensing hours and has received the following response:

"Udderbelly has operated the Udderbelly event with its ancillary Pasture for nearly four years in both Edinburgh and Brighton. In both locations, the events have lasted for over four weeks and the local residents have been at least twice as close to the Udderbelly site as the site is proposed to be to the Whitehouse and County Hall. Each event has passed off successfully without issue. It is important to stress how much we want to achieve the same for this summers event which has been planned very carefully in terms of noise and people management, servicing and security. They will share the management plan with you and the residents in our meeting on 14 April.

"The bar opening hours accords with the Southbank Centres licensing hours and those of neighbouring premises. The bar is for use by both audiences and passers by. However, access to the site from the early evening during the week (and all day at weekends) will be strictly stewarded and the capacity always carefully controlled. They will explain more at the meeting but Udderbellys and our priority (and indeed the whole rationale) for creating the Pasture is to create a relaxing and pleasant environment.

"The number of people allowed in the site is therefore intentionally kept at a level to encourage such an atmosphere and to prevent disturbance to neighbours. The programme of events has been put together so that events within Udderbelly end by 22.30 from Sunday to Wednesday; and by 00.30 from Thursday to Saturday. The bar caters for these audiences before and during the performances; and immediately after them. The site shuts half an hour after the end times of these shows. By giving some customers the option of buying a drink after the show, it allows us to disperse the audience gradually rather than in one burst."

Reassured? Enraged?

Find out more at the meeting on 14 April in the South Bank Centre boardroom.

If you wish to attend, please report to the Artists Entrance. If you can't make the night, please Contact CHORA and we will be happy to raise your views in the meeting and report back to you.