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Strictly come drinking
Ellen Widdup21 Jan 2009
STRICTLY Come Dancing star Karen Hardy has fallen out of step with neighbours after applying for her studio to serve alcohol and host "party nights".
Hardy, who won series four of the BBC1 show with cricketer Mark Ramprakash, was given permission to open a small bar at the site in Imperial Wharf, Fulham.
But the decision has sparked a backlash from local people who claim she is trying to change the business from a teaching facility into a members-only nightclub.
Karen Hardy Dance Studios bills itself as "More than just a Dance Studio an Experience!" and advertises party nights, "gift packages" for newlyweds, children's parties and evening classes.
Its website states: "The nights will get hotter as we dim the lights, turn up the music and enjoy an evening hosted by Karen Hardy herself (when possible).
"Combine this with a glass of champagne or two and canapés sourced from the local restaurants in the area. Party nights will become a regular highlight in your diary."
Chris Littmoden, of Imperial Wharf East Residents' Association, said the studio's original application had asked to serve customers until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays and 11pm during the week. It was altered after a series of objection letters were sent, and Hammersmith & Fulham council gave permission on condition the bar closed at 11pm every night.
"We were led to believe the emphasis would be on dancing classes rather than a club offering entertainment and serving alcohol," said Mr Littmoden. "We would have expressed stronger reservations at the time had we been presented with the complete picture. We see this taking on the character of a nightclub."
Mathew Ring, 44, whose bedroom window overlooks the studio, said: "I'm not happy. The general feeling is we have been let down. We were told it was going to be a health and fitness studio but in the evenings it is more or less a nightclub. When we saw their website, it was clear there are going to be hen parties and things like that."
Hardy, 38, and Ramprakash, 39, won Strictly Come Dancing in 2006 after beating Matt Dawson and Lilia Kopylova in the final.
She said her "primary purpose" was to teach ballroom and Latin American dance to "up-market clients and their families", adding: "We have followed the legal process regarding the licence application, working closely with the council, and have worked hard to appease all residents' concerns.
"The members' area provides a range of refreshments for members to enjoy before or after tuition including coffee or a glass of wine or champagne. The positive feedback and support from residents has been overwhelming since opening and a huge number have already signed up to be members."
Licence applicant Conrad Murray, Hardy's husband and business partner, said the emphasis was on teaching dance with a selection of light refreshments in the evening.
"We would like to make it clear that Karen Hardy Studios is for members only," he said. "It is not a drop-in bar for anybody to visit on a whim." An acoustic engineer was employed at the studios, which opened in December, to find ways to minimise noise.
Hardy is a former international, European and British champion who started dancing aged five. She retired from competition in 1999, moved into coaching, and was named dance teacher of the year in 2002 and 2003.
She and Mr Murray have a three-year-old son, Callum.
