‘Gigs plan is not music to our ears’ say Mayfair residents - Call for rejection of 7-days a week music licence for Guy Ritchie's Punchbowl pub
Published: 28 January 2011
by JOSH LOEB
RESIDENTS living close to a Mayfair pub part owned by Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels director Guy Ritchie are calling on Westminster City Council to reject an application by the premises to host live music events seven days a week.
Town and Country Inns Ltd have applied for a licence to host gigs at The Punch Bowl, in Farm Street, from Monday-Saturday, 10am-midnight, and on Sunday from noon-11.30pm.
Residents have until February 9 to make objections, after which a date for the licencing hearing will be set.
Gallery owner Alan Hobart, who lives opposite the pub, said: “It’s not conducive to a residential area such as this. There are no other businesses around here with a music licence, so I don’t know what their reasons are for wanting one but it’s not for the residents.”
Ron Whelan, secretary of the North Mayfair Residents’ Group and a resident of nearby Brook Street, said: “If it succeeds, not only will life become intolerable for local residents, but I fear that it will open the floodgates for similar licence applications in other parts of Mayfair.”
The North Mayfair Residents’ Group will hold a meeting at 7pm on February 2 at the Mayfair Library, 25 South Audley Street, W1.
Mr Whelan said the meeting would also discuss the rumours that the Mayfair Library is under threat because of budgetary cuts.
Residents living near The Punch Bowl have long bemoaned the paparazzi who mass outside in the hope of snapping its A-list clientele, who have included Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Justin Timberlake
The Punch Bowl were unavailable for comment.