![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/gbr\/london\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/st-marys-church-asks-for-help-after-suffering-two-back-to-back-burglaries.png\")
St Mary\u2019s Church<\/p>\nSt Mary\u2019s in Walthamstow Village has applied for a licence to serve alcohol and show films from midday until 10.30pm, and to push its closing time back from 4pm until 11pm, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter <\/p>\n
St Mary\u2019s Church<\/p>\n
A church in Walthamstow is seeking permission to host private and corporate events to sustain the cost of its outreach and community programmes.<\/p>\n
St Mary\u2019s Walthamstow, in Church End, has applied to Waltham Forest Council for a licence to serve alcohol and show films from midday until 10.30pm, and to push its closing time back from 4pm until 11pm.<\/p>\n
The events will be \u201ccommunity-focused\u201d and would range from fairs, drama productions, and concerts to wedding parties.<\/p>\n
The church says its schedule will be \u201cirregular\u201d and it seeks a licence to \u201cprovide greater flexibility\u201d in organising these events and to sell alcohol \u201con occasion\u201d.<\/p>\n
Being allowed to sell alcohol from 12pm would facilitate \u201clow-key daytime\u201d events such as markets or fetes, the church says, where stall-holders could sell drinks to drink either on the grounds or for customers to take home.<\/p>\n
St Mary\u2019s has a history of adhering to council-issued temporary event notices, but the proposals have been met with concern by some locals.<\/p>\n
A resident of the neighbouring Monoux Almshouses said the potential frequency of the events could \u201creduce our privacy [and] peace of mind\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe music\/noise of such a gathering will penetrate our homes at Monoux Almshouses, which are direct neighbours to St Mary\u2019s Church,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
She suggested the council granted an alcohol licence for weekends only, while Waltham Forest\u2019s licensing team proposed six conditions to minimise the risks of public nuisance and disorder.<\/p>\n
They include maintaining a refusals book to record every time a customer is refused alcohol and ensuring all staff selling drinks receive training on preventing underage sales and how to refuse drunk customers.<\/p>\n
The application will go before the council\u2019s licensing committee \u2013 made up of three elected councillors \u2013 next week.<\/p>\n
Local news needs your support<\/p>\n
We are proud that we were at the forefront of reporting on the recent local elections. We can\u2019t do this without the support of our readers. <\/p>\n
Independent news outlets like ours \u2013 reporting for the community without rich backers \u2013 are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts. <\/p>\n
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation. <\/p>\n
ACT NOW!<\/p>\n
Monthly direct debit\u00a0<\/p>\n
Annual direct debit<\/p>\n \u00a35 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month\u2019s paper before anyone else, \u00a310 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month\u2019s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month.\u00a0 \u00a350 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else.<\/p>\n More information on supporting us monthly or annually\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/gbr\/london\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788537250_519_10-WFE.png\")
<\/a>![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/gbr\/london\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788537250_143_5-WFE.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/gbr\/london\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788537250_763_WFE_50-annual.png\")
<\/a>![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/gbr\/london\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788537250_597_84-annual-.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Donate](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/gbr\/london\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788537251_545_13-2-paypal-donate-button-png-images.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n