Parties wrapped up in Smokeys friction lament delay in resolution

Three parties involved in the friction over Smokeys nightclub and the future Nicholson Quarter have lamented the long drawn out process of coming to a resolution.

The town centre nightclub and the council were at odds for some time over the Borough’s regeneration plan and Smokeys’ business needs.

The former administration were working on an agreement for Smokeys to move to another suitable location and make way for the sweeping town centre regeneration.

But no agreement was reached in time and both sides took their cases to the High Court to contest decisions made against their interests.

Last week, the High Court battle was averted after a confidential settlement was reached between the council and the Page family, who own the nightclub.

Now, the new administration, the council’s former leader and the owners of Smokeys nightclub have all expressed strong feelings over the way things were handled.

In a statement, the Maidenhead Liberal Democrats criticised the former administration, saying they would have ‘forced the developer to work collaboratively’ adding: “We would have worked in collaboration with Smokeys rather than effectively made them the enemy.”

“We’re quite devastated that the problems have got this far. The [previous] council hadn’t been collaboratively minded in what they’ve been doing.

“What went wrong is the initial conversations, right from the beginning, the council weren’t firm enough in saying what they wanted and what needed to happen, What the council actually did was let the developers run away with it on their own – not the council working with these people for Maidenhead residents.

“The council said, developers – do what you want to do. Not what we need and what Maidenhead needs.”

But Andrew Johnson, who led the previous Conservative administration, hit back, lambasting the agreement process.

“The new administration claims it was elected on a platform of openness and transparency, yet one of its first acts seems to involve a deal involving taxpayers’ money conducted in secrecy behind the scenes,” he said.

Mr Johnson added that the Lib Dem ‘attack’ on the previous administration is ‘bizarre’, given that ‘they supported the Nicholson Quarter scheme in its entirety when it went through planning.’

“That included the proposal to relocate Smokeys to a new dedicated space within the basement of the replacement Broadway Car Park,” he said.

He added that the record shows that ‘in-depth discussions’ took place between Smokeys and the council from the summer of 2020 onwards in order to find an agreeable resolution.

“To suggest otherwise is just plain wrong and pure political mudslinging,” Mr Johnson said.

The suggestion that the last administration was run ‘for the benefit of developers’ is ‘ridiculous’, he said, adding: “It has not gone unnoticed that the new Lib Dem-dominated council has been the subject of an unprecedented political attack recently by a former senior Lib Dem councillor and shadow cabinet member for planning, who has claimed that they are being too soft on developers.

“Frankly, you just couldn’t make this stuff up.”

Blandy & Blandy, the solicitors representing the owners, said: “The Page family are very surprised to hear former leader Cllr Johnson’s comments, given the Planning Inspector’s decision letter issued in January regarding the CPO (compulsory purchase order).

“The decision was clear in its finding that the CPO was not confirmed because of a lack of engagement from the acquiring authority RBWM, and its partners Areli.

“The report stated that the authority had ‘failed to engage constructively’ with the Page family or ‘to treat them with appropriate respect.’

“The inspector considered ‘the record’ Cllr Johnson refers to in evidence to the inquiry, and clearly did not agree with Cllr Johnson that it showed ‘in depth discussions.’

“Since the decision letter was issued in January, discussions have only ever taken place at the instigation of the Page family.

“Nevertheless, the Page family would like to say that they were happy with the outcome secured and are extremely pleased to tell you that Smokeys is still here, and we greatly look forward to entertaining Maidenhead as we have done over the decades.”