Residents, restaurant owners divided over new crowd control measures for Lakemba’s Ramadan Nights

Crowd numbers at Lakemba’s famous Ramadan street festival are set to be reined in following resident gripes about ‘noisy crowds’ and ‘smelly food’ – sparking fury among restaurant owners.

Australia’s largest Ramadan street festival at Lakemba will be scaled back in response to resident complaints about anti-social behaviour, noisy crowds and the scent of “smelly foods’’ wafting from street stalls throughout the neighbourhood.

Canterbury-Bankstown Council will trial new crowd control measures for this year’s Ramadan Nights Festival including moving sections of the event away from homes, reducing the number of road closures, and scaling back the promotion of the event.

The council is also considering permanently relocating the festival in response to resident gripes about large crowds that flock to Lakemba’s town centre during the annual event.

In the past four years, crowd numbers have grown six-fold and last year topped a staggering 1.2 million people – making it even more popular than the Royal Easter Show.

Crowd numbers at the annual event have surged over the last four years.

More than 300 residents living around the precinct have put their name to a petition calling for the event to be scaled back due to noise, anti-social behaviour, the number of road closures, accumulation of rubbish and even the “smells of food”.

But many restaurant owners who take part in the street festival are rallying against the council measures with fears they could impact trade.

Salim Shaikh, owner of Haldon Street chicken shop Extra Crispy, believes the council has caved to “NIMBY” voices of some local residents.

Many restaurant owners have opposed the council’s crowd control measures.

“The festival has been running for 15 years and people come from all over Australia to see it,” he said.

“The people complaining are the ones that bought into the area knowing the event is on each year.

“If you don’t like noise and you don’t like markets, why would you move into a town centre next to a street festival?”

A photo of crowds enjoying a previous Ramadan Nights festival event.

Salim Deeni – owner of Afghan Sufra restaurant – has called for the council to reconsider the crowd control measures, warning a reduction in road closures could present a public safety hazard.

“(The council) had to put in the road closures because it was becoming dangerous with pedestrians walking on the roads between all the food stalls,” he said.

“Road closures or not, people will still come to the festival.”

Thousands flock to the event, held in the Lakemba town centre.

A council report noted that while the event “is a phenomenal success” it also “brings challenges” for the local community.

Other complaints from residents have included reports of homeowners being “unable to sleep” during festival hours which run daily during Ramadan from dusk to 3am.

The event has also faced criticism from Muslim community leaders who say the festival is at odds with the core values of Ramadan of spiritually, moderation and reflection.

A photo of vendors at a previous Ramadan Nights event in Lakemba.

Some local businesses have supported the council’s crowd control measures including Rasha Almaanawe, owner of King of Sweets.

“The road closures aren’t good for us because people aren’t going to leave their car blocks away and walk to our restaurant when they can eat at food stalls instead,” she said.

“I lose half my trade in what should be our busiest time of the year.”

As part of the 12-month trial measures, the council confirmed it will only close roads and advertise the event from Thursday to Sunday in a move to give residents a “reprieve” on Mondays to Wednesdays.

The trial measures also include identifying opportunities for the event “to better reflect the values of Ramadan.

Local councillor Barbara Khoury said she found it “very difficult” to “hear people have bought into the area after the event has started and wanted to shut it down.”

Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek recognised there were many different opinions about the event.

“We have shopkeepers, stallholders, we have a mosque, residents – some people are happy and some want it moved,” he said.

“It’s a tough decision and one we’ll revisit.”

Council figures show the festival has also become a “significant budget” challenge for the council with the cost of staging last year’s event topping $2 million.