Ace Cafe London, a landmark motorcycle cafe near the North Circular Road in Stonebridge, has been forced to close early on Friday evenings after becoming a meeting point for a group of bikers who perform dangerous stunts and show little regard for other road users. The cafe, which has operated for nearly 90 years, has seen repeated disruptions since early July, prompting owner Mark Wilsmore to shut its doors temporarily for the safety of riders, staff, and the public.
Owner pleads for police action as stunts escalate
Mark Wilsmore, 69, who has run the cafe for 32 years, described the behaviour as "beyond any control". In a statement last week, the cafe said: "We respectfully request that you do not visit us after 6pm on this Friday," after numerous attempts to discourage the group proved unsuccessful. The bikers, who gather every Friday evening, video each other performing dangerous manoeuvres, including one shocking clip showing a quadbike driving up the side of a police van while the rider makes hand gestures at the officer inside.
Wilsmore has repeatedly asked the Met Police for increased enforcement and fears that without intervention, someone will die. "There is just less and less enforcement, we know that 25-30 per cent of all fatalities on London's roads are motorcyclists, here they are, they are a vulnerable group," he told MyLondon.
Owner highlights risks and impact on business
Wilsmore compared the situation to "a primary school at dinner time, there are no staff, so one of them is trying to climb the fence, another one is trying to beat up others to get their sweets off them. This is not a managed space." He added that every year a new crop of youngsters arrives, believing they are indestructible. "Most will survive and become old and boring like me, the others will become croppers, they will either end up in prison or make statistics," he said.
He also rejected any blame, saying, "Don't blame me, I'm not encouraging them, come and enforce the law. It's victim-blaming in effect. They just keep saying they don't have the resources. We need the police intervention." The disruption has hit the business hard, with Wilsmore noting, "Not just are we losing trade and business, we have staff, they are reliant on their incomes, and it is just awful, it is just absolutely awful. This is just a new thing, this has been going on for years now, it has just got to a ludicrous level."
Police respond with dispersal order and review
In response, Neighbourhood Superintendent Tanya Lloyd said: "We are aware of footage circulating on social media. Our investigation teams are currently reviewing the footage to identify offences and offenders and deal with those committing crime." A Section 35 dispersal order was authorised at 8.49pm on Friday, 21 August, following reports of anti-social driving along the North Circular Road, Stonebridge. The order gave officers additional powers to direct those involved in anti-social behaviour to leave the area, though no arrests were made.
Lloyd added: "We continue to engage with local businesses to assist them in preventing future disruption to the local community. We encourage anyone who witnesses anti-social behaviour or has concerns about activity in the area to speak with officers on patrol or report it by calling 101. Anyone committing these types of offences will be dealt with swiftly and robustly."
