Plans by Labour-run Ealing Council to introduce new controlled parking zone hours on Perivale Lane have raised concerns from the Friends of St Mary’s Perivale, who say the change could threaten the future of the historic building and its music concerts.
The proposals would extend controlled parking hours from the current weekday restriction of 9am to 11am to a weekday controlled parking zone (CPZ) running from 8am to 6pm, removing free parking during weekday afternoons. Organisers say the changes could affect attendance at weekday music concerts held at St Mary’s Perivale, a Grade I listed medieval church which dates back to 1135 and is the oldest building in the borough.
The building closed as a church in 1972 and, since 1978, has operated as a popular arts centre, known locally for its programme of concerts and cultural events. Over the past 20 years, St Mary’s Perivale has hosted more than 1,700 concerts, attracting around 5,000 attendees annually. Performances are also broadcast online, with organisers saying they receive more than 100,000 views each year from audiences in around 70 countries.
Hugh Mather, chair of the Friends of St Mary’s Perivale, said the proposals had come as a shock and they were not consulted about it. Writing on Facebook, Mather said: “Ealing Council will introduce a Controlled Parking Zone on Perivale Lane by St Mary’s Perivale in March, abolishing free parking for weekday afternoon concerts. This is catastrophic for us.”
Mr Mather said he had asked the council to restrict the CPZ to mornings only, allowing afternoon concerts to continue, but that request had been rejected. He said: “The whole future of our historic concert venue is now in the balance.” He added that it was “heart-breaking” that the issue stemmed from parking restrictions.
In a formal objection submitted to the council, the Friends of St Mary’s Perivale said most concertgoers are elderly and rely on cars because of limited public transport in the area. The letter states: “We depend entirely on donations we receive from people attending our concerts on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday afternoons.”
Mr Mather said the existing controls had been agreed with the council in 2019 and had worked well. He said: “The current restrictions (Monday to Friday, 9–11am) were introduced in close conjunction with the Council in 2019, and we paid £1,200 to the Council for their implementation. These arrangements have worked admirably until now. All this is now under threat.”
He added: “Notice of the proposed all-day CPZ has just arrived, regrettably without any prior consultation.”
Mr Mather warned that the consequences could go beyond the concerts themselves. He said: “If the scheme proceeds unaltered, our weekday concerts cannot continue, and this will in turn lead to the closure of St Mary’s Perivale as a concert venue. We will not be able to maintain our medieval Grade I listed church and associated graveyard since we have no other source of income. It will decay and the oldest building in Ealing will be destroyed.”
Organisers also argue the venue faces a different situation from other organisations in Perivale Lane, such as Ealing Golf Club and Hanwell Football Club, which have their own parking facilities, while the church does not. They say the cul-de-sac at the end of Perivale Lane, which has no residential housing, has effectively served as parking for audiences without impacting local residents.
Julian Gallant, leader of the Ealing Conservatives, criticised the proposals and urged the council to reconsider. Councillor Gallant said: “Labour-run Ealing Council plans a Controlled Parking Zone on Perivale Lane beside St Mary’s Perivale, a Grade I listed building, starting this March. The scheme would remove free parking on weekday afternoons, a move organisers say could seriously threaten the future of this historic venue.”
He added: “Organisers and volunteers say they have proposed common-sense alternatives, including limiting the CPZ to mornings, but feel their concerns have been ignored.”
Speaking to EALING.NEWS, leader of Ealing Liberal Democrats Councillor Gary Malcolm expressed his concerns. He said: “The Liberal Democrats think many of the changes that Ealing Council have done on parking are to raise addition money and ignoring feedback from residents and users. The Liberal Democrats often see the forced extension of CPZ operating times causes many problems as it will in Perivale.”
He added: “I have the view that parking changes like CPZs need a majority of people supporting them and allow a review after a few months if introduced so changes can be made if the results cause problems. A Liberal Democrat-run council would work with residents and not against them.
An Ealing Council spokesperson told EALING.NEWS: “We recognise how important St Mary’s is to the local community and the wonderful concerts that take place at the church.
“Our aim is to support thriving community events while ensuring parking arrangements are fair, consistent, safe and accessible for everyone.
“A live statutory controlled parking zone (CPZ) consultation is currently taking place that finishes on Wednesday 11 February 2026. We welcome comments to the consultation, which will be considered before a decision is made.
“Our priority is to keep Perivale Lane accessible, safe and attractive for residents, visitors and businesses.”
Residents can email trafficnotices@ealing.gov.uk , with the subject “P004-26: Objection to Perivale Lane CPZ” to express their views on the CPZ plans.
