Fighting 24-hour drinking licenses

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Conservatives call for legal assistance

As Government legislation permitting pubs, bars and nightclubs to stay open around the clock comes into force this week, Hammersmith & Fulham Conservatives are calling for financial legal assistance to be given to residents groups fighting 24-hour drinking licenses on their doorstep.

The idea is based on a scheme being introduced by Westminster Council, that ensures residents are given a fair chance at defeating 24-hour license applications which will be defended by expensive barristers, paid for by the major pub and brewing firms.

Richard Pownall, Chairman of the Barclay Road Residents Association, which is spending a great deal of time fighting such licence applications, has said: "The new licensing process seems so biased against local residents. Anything the bar owners ask for seems to sail through. We have spent many hours going through the detailed packs without having an in-depth knowledge of the law.

“We are doing best to combat late licenses that will cause more noise and nuisance. Any help like that would make a huge difference."

Commenting, Conservative Group Leader, Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh said: “In calling for a legal assistance fund to be made available, Conservatives are putting Hammersmith & Fulham’s residents first. Nationally and locally, Labour are pursuing policies that will lead to later drinking and excessive drinking as establishments compete increasingly on price rather than hours of opening. We don’t want to see that here.”

In addition, local Parliamentary Spokesman, Cllr Greg Hands has said: “I have received a great many letters, telephone calls and emails from residents across Hammersmith & Fulham, who are concerned at the prospect of 24-hour drinking. This is especially the case in areas such as Fulham Broadway and Shepherds Bush Green. In Fulham Broadway, there is already capacity for some 2,000 drinkers – many of whom make a nuisance of themselves – in a very heavily residential area - at the closing time.

“Making the closing times later will simply prolong the agony of local residents well into the night – which is why groups such as the Barclay Road Residents Association are fighting the license requests very hard indeed. However, I fear they will face an uphill struggle, as the pub and brewing chains use their spending power to buy the best legal help. A legal assistance fund, made available to such groups would give residents a fighting chance!”

February 13, 2005