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Chablis in the garden
• AS a resident of Canonbury for some 61 years, since I was born in fact, and a regular user of the Canonbury,
I attended the public meeting and town hall licensing meeting (The pub that’s on probation, August 14).
It was made quite clear at the initial meeting at the pub that the licensee was not asking for music in the garden; he had heard the objections from his “neighbours” and had acted accordingly.
He also said that he had no intentions of having a barbecue in the garden.
This original meeting had a number of “healthy exchanges” and it was quite apparent that although there was a great deal of sympathy with the fears of those living close to the pub not everyone was in agreement with the demands of the neighbours living in the houses immediately bordering the premises.
Despite this a group turned up at the hearing with a “fishing list’’of some 25 items including such ludicrous demands that nobody should be let into the pub after 10.30pm.
Liberal Democrat councillor Lucy Watt is quoted as saying: “The pub has been told it’s on probation. It must prove it can be a good neighbour.”
The pub was not put on probation. In fact the committee quite clearly pointed out the current licensee was a proven pub owner and they were confident he would manage the pub in a suitable manner.
What they did do, however, was remind residents there was a review process available to them if they could prove the pub was causing a nuisance.
I would also like to ask her how she thinks the committee’s decision to have the garden close at 10pm makes any sense.
Imagine the scene. It’s the hottest evening of the year. All us Canonbury residents are enjoying a glass of chilled Chablis in the garden. Then we are told to come in and behave ourselves “…’cos the council, in all their wisdom, have decided that the neighbours have suffered enough”.
The opening hours, noise control and security involving the pub is a community discussion but it has once again become a football being kicked around by councillors more interested in scoring political points than in local issues.
I know that personally I have a great deal of sympathy with those living near the premises and would have been happy to see the hours limited to 11pm.
At the same time I welcome a businessman who comes to the area in these uncertain times and spends a great deal of money to restore a once great pub in to an area so that we can be proud of enjoy drinking there again.
If Cllr Watt would like to join me at the Canonbury at some stage I would be delighted in buying her a drink and discussing the difference between local and national politics.
TERRY COMER
Address supplied
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