Residents living near The Earl of Lonsdale pub in Notting Hill have called for a review of its licence after complaining about noisy staff parties held on its roof terrace. The pub, close to Notting Hill Gate Station, is part of the Samuel Smith brewery chain, which bans mobile phones, laptops and other technology in its venues.
Samuel Smith describes its pubs as a “haven from the digital world”, playing neither music nor using TVs. However, several people living near the Victorian-era pub, which was refurbished in 2012, say they are not benefiting from this supposed tranquillity.
Residents report recurring disturbances
Residents told a Kensington and Chelsea Licensing Sub-Committee that staff parties and gatherings on the roof terrace had been causing a disturbance. Legal Counsel for Samuel Smith said he believes this is the first time a pub affiliated with the brewery has been called in for a licensing review.
A statement by Coleville ward Councillor Jack Reason, read out to the sub-committee, said: “The streets around [the pub] are narrow and the homes opposite so close that what happened on that roof is effectively happening in front of people’s windows.”
Mr Shapur Keshvari, who applied to have the licence reviewed, said there had been repeated incidents of public nuisance from the pub over the summer months. His review application said: “The complaint is cumulative. It concerns a recurring pattern rather than a single incident: amplified music and congregation immediately outside the pub, late-night disturbance from the beer garden or premises, and repeated afterhours occupation or continued availability of external seating.”
Pub apologises and takes action
Mr Keshvari said he had repeatedly tried to engage with the pub and contacted the council regarding these issues, to no lasting effect. Chair of the Ladbroke Association, Sophia Lambert, and Chair of The Pembridge Association, Ms Fiona Fleming-Brown, also attended the hearing in support of the application.
Ms Fleming-Brown told the sub-committee that members complained about recent disturbances from The Earl throughout the summer “especially the party on the flat roof”. She added: “The Earl is a fine old pub and residents want it to thrive but without parties on the roof outside their windows.”
Legal Counsel from the pub said the events staff held on the roof included a small birthday party for a chef and a film night. “We accept and it’s obvious here that staff have been socialising on the roof and causing a disturbance. We agree it is unacceptable and we apologise profusely for it,” he said.
Roof terrace closed and warning issued
The roof terrace has now been closed off and the Designated Premises Supervisor has been issued a formal written warning, as well as being removed from that responsibility. Outdoor furniture had also been replaced so that it could be brought inside at 10pm.
The pub did not agree to shutting the beer garden an hour before its closing time, although it was happy to look into adding acoustic mitigating greenery to reduce the noise. “We recognise mistakes have been made but on the whole we would say we are responsible operators,” he added.
A formal decision will be made within five working days of the licence review.
