Property game shuts down pubs

Published: 8 July, 2010

• More than 500 people have petitioned against plans to put homes on the site of the Duke of Hamilton pub in Hampstead – 300 have lodged formal objections with the council.

Residence freeholds are worth more than double the price of pub freeholds in Hampstead. 

Owners, the Wellington Pub Company, do not speak to the local press about this, but spoke earlier this year to pub trade’s Morning Advertiser (February 12, 2010) of the success of Wellington’s “disposal strategy”, which includes “those that have higher alternative-use value”.

Hampstead has suffered at least six pub closures in a dozen years through variations of this property game.

This very year Camden is belatedly implementing planning policies (the Local Development Framework) finally to consider why every property in town needn’t be a house or get a £5million price.

RICHARD REED
Address supplied, NW3