I would like to thank the Ham&High for giving Mr Hasan, the manager of Tinseltown, a chance to show his true colours ( Milk Bar dubs critics the Horlicks gang , 12 February). None of us old farts (his words) could have proved his contempt for Hampstea

I would like to thank the Ham&High for giving Mr Hasan, the manager of Tinseltown, a chance to show his true colours ('Milk Bar dubs critics the Horlicks gang', 12 February).

None of us 'old farts' (his words) could have proved his contempt for Hampstead and its residents as eloquently as he did. After years of nuisance from his customers, and years of obfuscation, this comes as no surprise to anyone unlucky enough to count his business as a neighbour.

He may complain that Councillor Roberts is biased but that just proves his disregard for a democratically elected councillor who fights for the rights of residents, as is her duty.

He may well claim that he is better than Starbucks, McDonalds or the pancake stall, but again that just proves that he still fails to understand that he operates in a residential area, not on the High Street. Meanwhile his business is not just a nuisance to residents, but also a hazard to his own customers and to the passing traffic.

He may portray himself as a champion of local businesses. But he is the only local business that creates such nuisance. Are residents up in arms about La Gaffe or da Silva's on the Heath Street? Or about the mini market, the Theatre or even the Duke of Hamilton on New End? The difference you see is that Mr Hasan, not content with creating much more nuisance than any other business in the area, actually seems to enjoy the whole thing. Plus he gets free advertising space from the H&H.

So now he wants an election? Sure he can have one: ask residents in any other part of Hampstead if they want him as a neighbour! Let him try to set up shop within the rules, i.e. rather than taking over an existing licence and diverting it for a different purpose, get him to apply to the council, follow due process and face regular consultation and the certainty of residents' objections. And good luck to him too.

Yours faithfully,

Pascal Dubois-P�lerin

Hampstead, London NW3

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