The application for a music event at Morden Park has been rejected following concerns from the police about crime and disorder.

Applicant Andy Mills proposed a Temporary Event Notice to allow him to host ‘Rave in the Park’ with live music in the bandstand on June 25 this summer.

Merton council’s licensing sub-committee rejected the application on Monday following a hearing on March 21.

Andy is an experienced DJ who hosts a Friday set on Flex FM and has a large social media following.

The ticketed rave would run from 5pm to 11pm, with stalls selling alcohol in an enclosed area of the park.

Met Police put forward an objection against the application on March 9 under the prevention of crime and disorder and public nuisance.

PC John McGann, a Southwest Police Licensing Officer said: “While he will be able to manage that within a fenced area, the concerns for the police are that more people will be able to gather in the green space outside of that area which he will have absolutely no control over.”

Cllr Stephen Alambritis agreed with this point: “One of our concerns Mr Mills is your popularity, you have a good following.

“If people hear about this they will come to hear you without joining in the perimeter of the event itself.

“Your music will still be heard, you are a popular DJ and people will still know it’s you so what makes you sure it will just be those with tickets that show up and others won’t just congregate around the park and have a free ride?”

Mr Mills said that it was one of those things in spaces like this, but did not expect to see un-ticketed people attend.

“I think you are thinking I am bigger than what I actually am,” he said.

Andy sent Met Police an email on 9 March with a map of the rave, a brief risk assessment and information about his previous events.

PC McGann said: “You are actually very big aren’t you if you normally do events that have 4999 and 9999 guests?”

Andy stated that he directed these large events for other people.

He said: “The reason I have gone for a smaller event first of all is to build a relationship with Merton Licensing.”

The Temporary Event notice would allow a maximum capacity of 499 attendees, but the applicant said that the ticketed event would be limited to 450.

DJ Andy Mills said that there would be 49 staff at the premises, some equipped with bodycams and sniffer dogs.

PC John McGann said: “With events like this we would have expected them to be submitted to the safety advisory group where you would be able to get more people involved who would be able to ensure it would be a safe run event.”

In recent years Morden Park has hosted other music festivals such as Eastern Electrics, which PC McGann said caused plenty of crime and disorder.

Met Polices concerns included that they were unable to attach additional conditions to a temporary event notice, whereas a full license application would allow the rave to be better managed.

Andy said: “I am a bit disappointed by this situation because I do loads of these events, one every other month at a bar called Lit in Clapham with around 300 people and my event on Jan 1 was in Mitcham at a Chak 89.

“There were no problems at all, we had about 370 in there and about 20 security with bodycams and a canine dog for searches.

“I am looking to work with the Met and Merton licensing to move forward.”

In December 2021, he applied for a similar event at Springfield Farm in St Albans with a full Premises license but was refused.

Mr Mills said that this application was rejected because the lane leading up to the site was unfit for use and was otherwise fine.

Another Rave in the Park event was held on New Year’s Day at a venue in Croydon.