West End Letters: Outside Drinking | Covent Garden Community Association

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West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 8 August 2008

Pedestrians before pubs

• THE Sun pub has indeed won the removal of the condition preventing outside drinking (Sun wins outside drinking, August 1).
However, readers may be surprised to know that the condition was not imposed by the licensing panel when it granted the licence in May but was offered voluntarily by the pub.
The Covent Garden Community Association does not oppose outside drinking at the Sun or any other pub or bar in Covent Garden provided that it finishes at a reasonable time and the pavement outside the premises is kept clear for pedestrians.
Many readers will have had the experience of having to walk in the road to get past a crowd of drinkers standing outside a bar. It is even more difficult for those carrying shopping, pushing prams or in wheelchairs.
We believe a 1.8-metre width of pavement needs to be kept clear of obstructions and standing drinkers to allow people to pass each other comfortably on the pavement.
This figure is required if there are tables and chairs outside and is also suggested in Camden’s licensing policy as the minimum clearance.
If a pub has wide enough pavements outside to allow for this and some limited outside drinking this is perfectly acceptable.
If the pavement is too narrow, or the drinkers too numerous, to allow this then conditions must be imposed to give pedestrians priority.
The pubs pay no rent for the pavement and should only be able to use it if it is not needed for people to walk on.
Unless something is done it will only be a matter of time before a pedestrian is seriously injured or killed walking in the road to get past a pub. Let’s not wait that long!
David Kaner
Chair, CGCA Licensing Committee, WC2

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld.
Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number.
Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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