New 5,000-Capacity Open-Air Venue Approved Near Thames Barrier in Greenwich

Greenwich Council has granted a premises licence to CW Bases Ltd to operate a new 5,000-capacity open-air events space at the former Stone Foundries site in Charlton Riverside, close to the Thames Barrier in south-east London. The venue will host a diverse mix of events including concerts, theatre productions, fashion shows, food festivals, corporate gatherings and boxing matches. It can operate from 9 am to 11 pm daily, with music and alcohol permitted until 10:30 pm. For the remainder of 2026, the site is capped at three events exceeding 1,000 attendees, with none permitted to exceed 3,000. From 2027, the venue may host up to ten events annually with more than 1,000 attendees, of which six can exceed 3,000 people, provided the council receives six months' notice. The council's community protection team raised objections, warning that the site's concrete surfaces could cause sound reverberation affecting neighbouring residential gardens. The Metropolitan Police also flagged concerns about overcrowding at the relatively understaffed Charlton station. Operators acknowledged they had not yet consulted local residents, but committed to doing so following the venue's opening. Events cannot be scheduled to conflict with Charlton Athletic home matches at The Valley without prior council approval. No opening date or specific events have yet been announced.