Anger over trendy boozer's bid for late opening

By Josie Hinton PRIMROSE Hill residents are angry that a trendy boozer wants to extend its opening hours late into the night. The Pembroke on Gloucester Avenue will tonight know if it has been granted permission to serve alcohol until midnight on Fridays

By Josie Hinton

PRIMROSE Hill residents are angry that a trendy boozer wants to extend its opening hours late into the night.

The Pembroke on Gloucester Avenue will tonight know if it has been granted permission to serve alcohol until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, an hour later than it is currently allowed.

Owners the Barracuda Pub Company also want to extend their license to 11.30pm from Monday to Thursday, despite being in a quiet residential area.

Residents fear the pub's often crowded beer garden will be noisy late into the night during the summer. Loud music coming from the upstairs function room has also been a cause of concern.

Resident Geoff Smith, of Gloucester Avenue, said: "The noise at the Pembroke is already so bad that our children, aged 10 and 13, often cannot sleep.

"During the summer, when we need to open the front windows for ventilation, we have to move them from their bedrooms at the front of the house to other rooms at the back.

"If the Pembroke is allowed to extend the operation of its function room, the noise would seriously affect our children's schooling, and will ruin our waking hours due to lack of sleep. In fact, it would become quite intolerable."

Further problems are caused by customers of the pub taking up parking spaces in the area. As there are no restrictions after 6pm on weekdays and all day at the weekend, the quiet street can become crowded with cars.

Rosalyn Cranstoun Corby, ofKing Henry's Road, said: "I quite often find it impossible to park near my home, especially on days when the Pembroke has special televised viewing of football matches, other special entertainment or extended hours.

"I have generally had to stay out until late into the evening at weekends because of lack of parking space."

Some residents have broken ranks and written to the council's licensing panel in support of the proposed changes. Former Belsize councillor Jonny Bucknell, of Chaimberlain Street, said: "Having the pubs close at 11pm often means that people leave early leading to loss of trade. The pubs must be allowed to attract customers for as late as is practicable."

Last night a decision was due to be made on another controversial application.

The Torriano on Torriano Avenue has been hoping serve alcohol until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, three hours later than it is currently permitted.

There have been 35 objections to the plans, including from the police, the council's environmental health and health and safety departments, and three separate residents' associations.

For the outcomes on the licensing decisions, see our website www.hamhigh.co.uk.

editorial@hamhigh.co.uk