Residents of a North London housing development are pressing Brent Council and the Metropolitan Police to tackle recurring antisocial behaviour linked to large motorbike gatherings that occur every Friday evening on Beresford Avenue in Alperton. Those living in the adjacent Grand Union development have reported excessive engine revving, dangerous driving, and significant littering, and they question why there is so little visible enforcement despite the issue being well known to authorities.
Weekly gatherings cause disruption and frustration
The gatherings, which take place at the same location and time each week, have become a “predictable feature of life” for many local people, according to residents. They emphasize that this is not an occasional occurrence but a persistent pattern. The meetings happen near the Ace Café, a popular biker hangout on the corner of Beresford Avenue, though they are not linked to the business. In fact, the café has been forced to close due to the disruption and a lack of engagement and support from local police, as one resident noted.
Emails seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) show that the police acknowledge the issue is “well known” to the Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT). Officers claim the matter has been subject to “ongoing monitoring, patrol activity and enforcement,” but the “scale, complexity, and recurring nature of the issue” means it cannot be managed through local police resources alone.
Residents and councillor call for coordinated action
Jamie, a Grand Union resident, told the LDRS: “The police have acknowledged that this is a well-known and recurring problem that exceeds local neighbourhood policing resources. Residents are therefore entitled to ask why, despite that recognition, dangerous driving, excessive noise and antisocial behaviour continue every Friday night with so little visible enforcement.” He added, “This is not a spontaneous event. It happens in the same place, at the same time, week after week. Even Ace Cafe has been forced to close because of the disruption and a lack of engagement and support from local police. At some point, monitoring the problem has to give way to actually solving it.”
Alperton ward Councillor Anton Georgiou said residents “shouldn’t have to keep complaining” before something gets done and has called for a “coordinated approach, proper enforcement, and a clear message that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated.” He told the LDRS: “Residents in Alperton, particularly those living around the Grand Union development, should be able to enjoy their homes without having to put up with this sort of nuisance. With more people moving into the area, it is even more important that we make sure residents feel safe and that antisocial behaviour is dealt with properly.” He also noted that concerns about dangerous riding, engine revving, and littering have been raised, but residents are still waiting for meaningful action, and agencies need to stop working in silos.
Council and police outline enforcement measures
The issue has been referred to the Brent Joint Action Group (BJAG) so a multi-agency approach can be considered to identify long-term solutions and coordinate appropriate action, according to the SNT. Brent Council says its Nuisance Vehicle PSPO gives the local authority “important powers to take enforcement action,” but it has not stopped all vehicle-related antisocial behaviour. The council also claims that Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) has identified vehicles using false or cloned number plates, which presents “an additional challenge identifying those responsible.”
A council spokesperson said: “These issues are being actively addressed through the Brent Joint Action Group, which brings together the council, police and other agencies to coordinate enforcement, share intelligence and consider what further action can be taken. This includes exploring additional measures, such as High Court injunctions, which have been used successfully by other councils to tackle organised vehicle meets.” The spokesperson added, “Residents should be able to live without being subjected to persistent nuisance and antisocial behaviour. We will continue working with the Metropolitan Police and using the powers available to us to tackle those responsible and deter this behaviour.”
Jamie said residents “are not asking for the impossible” and want agencies to use their existing powers consistently and proactively “before the situation deteriorates further.” He added: “The issue affects not only residents but also local businesses, visitors, road users and taxpayers who ultimately bear the cost of repeated clean-up operations and the wider consequences of unmanaged antisocial behaviour. The authorities now recognise the scale of the problem. Residents want to see that recognition translated into meaningful action.”
