H-Metro
Mathew Masinge
EXQUISITE wedding venue, Umwinzii Gardens, has been ordered to strictly allow 40 vehicles, install sound proofing, provide a bus to ferry visitors and limit the flow of traffic at its place in Umwinsidale.
This comes after the Carrick Creagh Home Owners Association notified Earlysals Investment (Pvt) Limited, which runs the wedding venue, to cease all operations immediately.
The residents complained about the noise from the venue and volume of traffic into the leafy estate, even though the association was charging entry fees to all those attending weddings.
However, the exclusive gardens venue filed an urgent application at the High Court arguing the association had no right to threaten it with closure.
The wedding venue owners, who claim to have bookings until April 2023, say the action had caused a lot of harm to their clients who were now in panic mode.
The property was purchased from Arosume Property Development in 2011.
“It must be observed that the respondents are doing all this without following due process and without an order of court.
“It must be pointed out that Umwinzii is duly licensed to operate a wedding venue and that the licence is due to be renewed in December 2022.
“The notification by the respondents was given prominence on social media and Umwinzii’s clients, with confirmed bookings, are panicking and have threatened to take legal action against it.
“Such conduct is financially harmful, causes inconsolable grief to the good name and standing of Umwinzii to a degree that even an order of costs may not restore,” argued Umwinzii in its papers.
After hearing the arguments, Justice Happias Zhou ruled that:
“Umwinzii shall install sound proofing at the wedding venue to arrest the noise emanating from the venue on or before December 31st, 2022.
“The venue shall ensure that the volume of traffic is minimised by employing 10 x 75 seater shuttle buses to ferry guests to the venue with effect from December 31st, 2022.
“The bridal motor vehicles to access the wedding venue shall not exceed 40 in number at any event.
“In the event of the proprietor failing to satisfy the conditions specified, Umwinzii shall be granted a written further extension up to April 30, 2023, after which no activity shall be conducted at the event venue,” reads the judgment.
