Hounslow Council has reversed its decision ordering three riverside pubs in Chiswick to remove outdoor seating, following a major backlash from publicans and residents. The Labour-run local authority had instructed The Bull's Head, The City Barge, and The Bell & Crown to take down all benches and tables on the river path pending a licensing investigation.
Council bows to public pressure
The row began when The Bull's Head applied to renew its street furniture licence. The council ordered the pub to remove seating until the licence was approved. It then emerged that The City Barge and The Bell & Crown also lacked the necessary permits, risking the removal of all seating along the Strand-on-the-Green riverfront.
Following widespread criticism, the council has now agreed to allow the pubs to keep their tables and benches while the licensing applications are processed. A celebratory pubgoer described the decision as a "victory for freedom and common sense."
Business concerns and local reaction
Alastair Hilton, a regular at The Bell & Crown, told The Telegraph: "In the summer you've got to make every tenner you can, you've got to. Every seat that vanishes, it's another £50, £100. It's very, very hard to run a business as it is, very hard to run a pub. You can't have a council coming along and going, well I don't like this."
An anonymous woman who has lived in the area for over two decades also welcomed the U-turn, calling it a "victory for freedom and a victory for common sense."
Political criticism
Gabriella Giles, Conservative councillor for Chiswick Riverside, criticised the council's initial enforcement under the Highways Act as an "abuse of power." She argued that the removal of seating harmed local businesses and community life.
Council's justification
Amy Croft, cabinet member for infrastructure at Hounslow Council, said: "We recognise the important role that riverside pubs play in the local community and appreciate their contribution to the area’s economy and character. We are required by law to ensure that any outdoor seating and structures placed on the public highway or riverside towpath have the appropriate permissions in place and do not obstruct access for pedestrians, wheelchair users, people with pushchairs or emergency services."
She added that following inquiries, officers reviewed permissions and licence arrangements, and that businesses must hold a pavement licence for removable furniture on the public highway.
