'Madness' as 200-year-old pub faces closure after neighbours complain about drinkers

The pub's landlord Harry Smith (pictured) fears the restrictions could termination the business. (Image: SWNS)

A historical Victorian pub unfastened for astir 2 centuries whitethorn beryllium forced to adjacent implicit caller licence restrictions - which could spot customers banned from drinking outside.

The Sekforde successful Clerkenwell has served thirsty Londoners since the aboriginal 19th Century, but complaints from affluent residents since the Grade II-listed establishment's 2018 renovation mean already strict caller rules whitethorn beryllium tightened further.

Harry Smith, the pub's landlord, worries that the caller licence restrictions could spell the extremity of the pub. The imaginable of it closing brought interest with immoderate locals, who said they would beryllium "devastated" if it shuttered permanently.

But "public nuisance" complaints from immoderate residents surviving successful the £2m properties surrounding The Sekforde connected Woodbridge Street person brought astir different licence review.

After a 2019 review, the pub was restricted to lone being capable to unfastened 1 model connected each level of the gathering - which is said to crook the aged Victorian gathering into "sauna" during the summer.

Residents person said they'd beryllium 'devastated' if the beloved haunt was forced to close. (Image: James Linsell Clark / SWNS)

Further rules prohibit the usage of 1 of its main doors aft 9pm and prohibition "vertical drinking" - besides known arsenic "standing up" - connected Sekforde Street.

A maximum of 20 radical are presently allowed to basal extracurricular the different broadside of the pub past 8pm.

But pursuing further complaints, caller rules person been submitted which would spot punters banned from lasting extracurricular the pub, portion limiting outdoor seating to lone 20.

Mr Smith, 32, who has tally the section haunt for implicit 5 years, says the pub wouldn't beryllium capable to past nether the restrictions.

"We're conscionable going to person to adjacent to beryllium honest," helium told SWNS. "Office workers similar to basal extracurricular to person a drink, and if they don't bash it present they're going to spell to the adjacent pub oregon the park.

"I'm feeling truthful depressed astir the full thing. This spot is location to me. It would beryllium devastating to suffer it. They told america astir this 2 weeks ago, which coincides with our busiest clip of the year. I consciousness a spot helpless. We're 5 years abbreviated of 200 years, which is rather sad," helium added.

Islington Council says licencing guidelines springiness "greater weight" to the views of residents than those who don't unrecorded nearby, but Mr Smith claims lone the views of a fistful of residents are being listened to.

"It's the explanation of nimbyism," helium claimed. "[The council] don't attraction astir what the bureau workers want. They virtually couldn't attraction less. So overmuch value is fixed to a tiny fig of people.

Interior of the Grade II-listed building. (Image: SWNS)

"A batch of radical who person moved present precocious don't person a problem, it's much the radical who were present earlier the renovations. I person tried to scope retired to Islington Council but they volition ne'er archer maine however galore complaints we've had," helium claimed.

"They've conscionable been gathering up a slope of complaints down my back. It has benignant of divided everyone a bit. I've got a feeling Islington Council are going to discount the opinions of immoderate individuals who don't unrecorded wrong the radius of the pub."

Despite the responses of astir locals being positive, Mr Smith regrettably believes it "doesn't truly matter".

"[Local residents] person a choice," helium said. "If you person [millions of pounds], that's a fiscal prime - you tin move. You're telling the assembly your life's unspeakable but you person the fiscal state to move. You could get retired of EC1, for a start, if you privation a quieter life."

The quality bureau said contempt trying to interaction complaining neighbours surviving adjacent the pub, it proved hard to find immoderate who were consenting to talk.

Keith McKenna, a section regular who visits The Seckford aggregate times a week, said the caller projected restrictions were "madness". "I've ne'er seen immoderate benignant of aggravation successful present - conscionable radical enjoying themselves," the 52-year-old, who works arsenic a driver, said.

"But the radical who determination successful don't look to similar it. This pub has been present hundreds of years and they person not. It seems precise unreasonable... The Sekforde is important to the section area."

Another pistillate surviving conscionable a fewer doors down from The Sekforde said she was assured that much of her neighbours supported the pub than not.

"You can't determination adjacent to a pub and expect it to beryllium quiet," the mum, successful her 50s, said. "It's a spot of past and the pub are blessed to woody with people, but you've got to beryllium realistic. If you determination successful 2 doors down from the pub, surely you tin enactment retired what's going to happen? As a council, you should beryllium looking to get a well-rounded view, not conscionable to perceive to the complaints.

"You get much sound from the pub circular the corner, and much disruption from the bloody foxes successful the nighttime than the Sekforde," she the section said.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Islington Council urged anyone with views connected the projected licencing changes to The Sekforde to interaction them earlier December 18.

They said: "Islington Council, similar immoderate different licensing authority, has a ineligible work to guarantee each licensed premises adhere to the conditions of their licence.

"The assembly aims to equilibrium the interests of businesses with those of residents who whitethorn beryllium affected by the activities of those businesses, and works with licensed premises to find solutions to issues that mightiness arise.

"In the lawsuit of The Sekforde, the exertion for reappraisal has been made due to the fact that the licence holder has not ensured the prevention of nationalist nuisance, 1 of the 4 licensing objectives. The recommended variations are intended to enactment the licence holder to conscionable the nonsubjective of preventing nationalist nuisance. The exertion volition beryllium scrutinised by the Licensing Committee, an autarkic panel, aboriginal adjacent year.

"The gathering volition beryllium held successful nationalist and funny parties, including the licence holder, volition person the accidental to marque representations. Before then, anyone tin springiness their views connected the projected variations by emailing licensing@islington.gov.uk nary aboriginal than 18 December.

"Everyone making representations is encouraged to supply their sanction and address. Licensing guidelines springiness greater value to the views of residents who unrecorded successful the vicinity of the pub, portion lesser value is afforded to those with nary sanction oregon address."