The Bhavan, which teaches 23 different subjects under one roof, has been based at the West Kensington site since 1977
A renowned Indian cultural centre in West Kensington has failed in its last-ditch attempt to delay the rollout of new parking restrictions that it claims will threaten its future.
The Bhavan had sought legal action to halt Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s planned extension of parking controls to run until later in the evening and seven days a week. The court has however refused the submission, in part due to the claim only being filed days before the implementation of the new restrictions, due to happen on Monday (December 1).
A Hammersmith and Fulham Council spokesperson said they are “incredibly sympathetic” to the issues raised by The Bhavan, which is why it has made a bespoke offer to install two parking terminals within the centre “with easy sign-up and reduced tariffs for staff and visitors”.
They confirmed however that given the court’s decision they will not be pausing the extension of the parking restrictions.
The Bhavan is an art, cultural and educational institution teaching 23 different subjects under one roof. According to its website it is one of 110 Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan centres worldwide, 105 of which are in India. Around 800 students are estimated to attend classes every week.
The UK branch was founded in 1972 by a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi and moved into its current West Kensington home in 1977.
Its prestige can be gleaned from the photos which line its walls, detailing visits from Margaret Thatcher and King Charles (Prince at the time) to the Beatle George Harrison.
It was also discovered only after relocating to the current site that Mr Gandhi, who lived around the corner, was believed to have attended the church to which The Bhavan is attached during his time in London.
But those who run this famous centre, the largest of its kind outside of India, say its future is threatened by the new parking restrictions.
The area is part of a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), Zone D, with restrictions applying between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Outside of that, including on weekends when most of The Bhavan’s shows are held, parking is free.
Last year, following consultation, some streets in a section in the south of the zone had controls amended to cover 8.30am to 10pm seven days a week. The council ran another consultation earlier this year on bringing the rest of the zone in-line with these streets – a proposal the majority of respondents favoured.
It is now looking to roll out the extended restrictions, which include a maximum one-hour stay for non-permit holders, something The Bhavan claims would prevent students and performers from visiting, and threaten its future.
Dr MN Nandakumara, Executive Director at The Bhavan, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “It’s almost like they are asking us to leave the place. Because Bhavan has helped the businesses around here and we employ people. Everything is connected.”
In correspondence seen by the LDRS the council has said to The Bhavan that the consultation into the proposed changes was initiated in response to concerns raised by residents about the pressure on parking. The one-hour maximum stay is intended to discourage long-stay parking by out-of-borough drivers.
But Dr Nandakumara has claimed the decision to move to the new rules came as a shock to the centre.
“We were feeling so part of the society here,” he said. “Suddenly this thing has made us wake up, and we don’t know what to do. In the past 15 days I must say I haven’t slept properly. These parking restrictions are one thing, not only are they making it seven days [but also] until 10 o’clock. To a theatre, can you imagine?”
The council does run a business scheme, which allows an unlimited number of visitors to park for more than an hour at a discounted rate and to which The Bhavan can apply. Hammersmith and Fulham has also offered to provide a tablet to allow visitors to input their vehicle registration details on arrival.
Dr Nandakumara and Meera Vinaya Krishna, Head of Operations and Business Development, said that this is not a solution, largely due to the volume of people who attend lessons and shows. The auditorium in which performances are held can hold almost 300 people, with three shows often organised a week.
Mrs Vinaya Krishna said: “We are not just another household. We are trying to tell them we are not just another business. We are a culture centre with a significant and extensive legacy.”
The LDRS has seen a letter appearing to be from George Harrison’s former wife Olivia Harrison sent to The Bhavan, in which she writes: “I am very concerned that such restrictions would seriously hinder Bhavan’s ability to operate and to continue to serve its community effectively. Students, visitors, artists and performers routinely attend classes, rehearsals and events lasting for longer than an hour, and many travel with large, delicate instruments, or expensive costumes that make public transport impractical or unsafe.”
Dr Nandakumara and Mrs Vinaya Krishna added that, while they have had some limited correspondence with the council about the changes, no-one has been to visit them or properly discuss the challenges the new restrictions would pose.
This has been disputed by the council, which says it has offered to meet The Bhavan. This is also reflected in the decision published by Mr Justice Calver, which refers to one, possibly two, meetings which had been arranged before being cancelled.
In Mr Justice Calver’s reasons for the refusal he writes that more than 400 people took part in the consultation into the proposed changes, the majority of whom favoured the amendments.
Mr Justice Calver continues to note that due to the late submission of the claim the council had not had an opportunity to respond and that, given the scheme is due to come in on December 1, preparations for its introduction are likely to be advanced.
The LDRS asked The Bhavan why it had not filed its claim earlier but had not received a response at the time of publication.
A Hammersmith and Fulham Council spokesperson said: “We are incredibly sympathetic to the issues raised by The Bhavan which makes such a vibrant contribution to arts, education and culture in Hammersmith and Fulham.
“That’s why we’ve made a bespoke offer to install two parking terminals within the centre with easy sign-up and reduced tariffs for staff and visitors, who would also be allowed to park for as long as they want.
“It is disappointing that, rather than meet us to discuss solutions like these, The Bhavan chose to take legal action in an attempt to halt the roll-out of the new parking regulations. We welcome the swift decision of the court to reject the request for an injunction.
“These new rules come at the request of residents. They cover the expanse of Zone D to the west of North End Road, from Talgarth Road in the north down to Lillie Road in the south – not some small pocket around The Bhavan. Like the new rules that have been introduced in other parts of the borough, they follow extensive localised consultations with residents and businesses.
“In Zone D the numbers of visitors by car to venues such as The Bhavan – which has excellent public transport links and is just a two-minute walk from West Kensington Tube Station – has been cited by residents as a factor in their desire to tighten the evening and weekend parking rules.
“Given the court’s decision we will not be pausing the roll-out and we remain committed to working collaboratively with The Bhavan.”
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