Pub to bring back family larks by park Actor-owner has plans to open café THE owner of Barnsbury’s Lark in the Park pub – TV actor Gary Whelan – appealed to neighbours this week to support his plan to improve the venue’s image. The Bally

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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 27 February 2009

Pub owners Gary and Gabriel Whelan

Pub to bring back family larks by park

Actor-owner has plans to open café

THE owner of Barnsbury’s Lark in the Park pub – TV actor Gary Whelan – appealed to neighbours this week to support his plan to improve the venue’s image.
The Ballykissangel and The Bill star aims to provide a traditional-style pub with a café looking onto Barnard Park.
“The Lark has had its problems in the past but we want to put them behind us,” Mr Whelan said. “With support from locals we want to turn it into the kind of family pub it used to be.”
He spoke after an Islington licensing committee hearing on Monday granted the pub permission to stay open until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Neighbours said that under a previous management the Copenhagen Street pub had been a source of disturbance, with loud music and noise in the early hours.
One resident, Ellen Teasdale, an emergency planner with London Fire Brigade, said the area surrounding the pub was densely populated, with many young families. She added: “We feel it is inappropriate for a pub which generates noise to be open in the early hours.”
Ms Teasdale added that many residents felt the pub was poorly insulated and that in the past live music could be heard at a volume which made it difficult to sleep, especially in summer.
“I do not feel it is acceptable to expect residents to have to shut all their windows in their flat in summer just to sleep at night,” she said.
The pub has now hired a noise consultant and new soundproofing is being installed. “We will be providing good food and live music, but the music will be mainly acoustic, not the kind that will disturb or keep people awake late at night,” Mr Whelan added.
His wife Gabriel said the couple had had a lot of experience in running pubs in Brighton and Dublin.
“There’s a lot of work to be done and we expect to be spending a lot of money,” she added.
“Barnard Park has no parkkeeper so a café will provide a safe area where mums can sit and keep an eye on kids. We even want to put in a dog trough.”
Labour councillor James Murray welcomed the Whelans’ plans for a traditional pub. “My only concern is that they really do keep the noise down and not disturb residents,” he said.

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