A West London pub beloved by celebrities and royals has launched a legal battle after noise complaints from just nine people prompted a string of conditions to be slapped on its licence.
Princess Eugenie and singer Dua Lipa are said to be among the regulars at the Pelican in Notting Hill, while former Skins actor Seb de Souza has hosted the bar’s quiz. But a handful of local residents are less impressed with the venue and have made repeated complaints to Kensington and Chelsea council about rowdy drinkers.
The pub has drawn in huge crowds since it opened in late 2021, thanks to its widely praised British menu that has seen it gain a listing in the Michelin guide and go viral on TikTok.
But last year the town hall imposed a wave of restrictions on the Pelican after a group of nine people called for a review on the grounds that the premises was “undermining the prevention of public nuisance and public safety”.
New rules include banning customers from drinking and eating outside after 9pm and restricting delivery times.
The pub was told it must stop all drinkers from standing outside in Tavistock Road, as well boost the number of bouncers on the door at weekends.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights a street warden wearing a high visibility jacket will have to patrol roads outside the premises between 10pm and 12.30am until all customers have left the area.
The Victorian building sits on the corner of All Saints and Tavistock Roads, where flats can sell for in excess of £1.8 million each.
While the Pelican’s owners accepted some of the new conditions they have launched a legal challenge over the harsher measures. Their appeal is due to be heard in a three day hearing at Westminster magistrates’ court in July.
During the review meeting last year homeowners complained they “had to sleep with earplugs” because of chatting customers outside until midnight when the bar closes.
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James Gummer, who opened the pub with Phil Winser in late 2021, produced evidence to show that they had support from 18 residents.
Barrister James Rankin, who represented the bar, said “a pub has existed in this location under various guises for hundreds of years” and while they accepted that homeowners nearby had been disturbed by customers drinking outside their “concerns do not trump everything”.
Mr Rankin said there had been unexpected demand from customers and “on occasion there was more noise than [Mr Gummer] would have liked”.
However, over the summer 2022 period management increased staff and security personnel, he said
