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The club: round the corner from Berkeley Square |
Carry on drinking! Historic Naval Club wins an extra hour
‘Never a single complaint about conduct,’ says secretary in defence of extended licence
THE Royal Navy is not known for complete abstinence.
For years admirals, commodores and plain old officers have been jokingly known for “hoisting the gin pennant”, getting rather groggy and belting out sea shanties until they’re three sheets to the wind.
On firmer ground, though, last orders has an annoying habit of getting in the way of the fun, which might go some way to explaining why Mayfair’s Naval Club – where many a swabbie has toasted Neptune – has been trying to extend its drinking hours.
But the historic club’s bid to serve alcohol for an extra hour until midnight was almost scuppered by a new type of pirate, local residents.
More than 20 Hill Street residents, including ex-prime minister John Major’s former adviser, wrote to licensing chiefs in City Hall demanding they knock back the proposals.
They feared an extended licence, which was granted on Tuesday, at the Grade II-listed, 18th-century former residence of the Earl of Chatham, will disturb the peace of the swanky street, which is just around the corner from Berkeley Square.
They are not convinced by assurances from club secretary Commander John Prichard, who has branded the objections “spurious”, that the club has never had a complaint about drunken behaviour.
Writing to Westminster’s licensing department ahead of Tuesday’s hearing, he said: “This seems to be entirely spurious. Contrary to the statement that Hill Street is primarily residential, the majority of Hill Street is now taken by offices.
“As you are well aware, the Naval Club is a private, residential club of long standing. There has never been a single complaint from any of our immediate neighbours about the conduct of the club. The extension of the licence does not mean that the bar will remain open each night until midnight, simply that the permission to remain open is in place.”
Among the objectors are Lord and Lady Chadlington. Lord Chadlington – Peter Gummer – is a Tory peer who was once a director of Halifax and founded Shandwick, the biggest public relations consultancy in the world in 1974.
All the residents on the street are being represented by the managing agents for many of the properties, Tideway Investment Management.
Managing director Phillip John said: “We believe that this extension will be of detriment to the residential amenity of Hill Street which is predominately characterised by long leasehold flats.
“The licence was granted subject to a number of conditions. The club has to put up a sign asking patrons to leave quietly. It may or may not be the case that the Naval Club has never received a single complaint but this of course could be because its licensing hours were suitable for a residential area.”
The building remained in private ownership until the Second World War, when it was requisitioned by the Auxiliary Territorial Service, as the women’s arm of the British Army was then known. The club purchased the freehold in 1946 and has occupied it ever since. Membership is open to “all men and women who have an interest in maritime affairs and in the sea” and boasts a long list of members from the Navy. |
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