A new row has erupted between a Bankside pub on the riverfront and the people who live in flats behind it.
Residents of the Falcon Point blocks have complained about a ‘pop-up bar’ serving food and drinks outside the Founder’s Arms. They said the new bar creates extra noise and blocks the Thames pathway, creating an extra nuisance for people passing through the area.
An email from a Southwark Council licensing officer from April 12, the day pubs were allowed to reopen outdoors for the first time since lockdown, said “the premises is unable to sell alcohol via this pop up bar.”
But Young’s, the pub chain that runs the Founder’s Arms, said this was a mistake and the pop up bar was licenced to serve alcohol. Southwark Council later confirmed the mistake and said it was quickly fixed.
A spokesperson said: “We’ve opened a temporary external service stand at the Founder’s Arms in order to serve food and drink orders in the safest way possible. The external service stand is located on our premises, and is licensed to serve alcohol.”
‘Like living next to a party barge’: local residents slam Founder’s Arms growth plans
The fresh dispute comes after the same residents raised issues with plans to expand the pub – with worries about added noise and reduced views of the Thames. They also said they had not been informed about the plans by the council.
Falcon Point residents set out their concerns to Young’s in a February letter seen by the News.
“We will vigorously oppose any planning application that may be submitted if the proposals are anything like those on which we were recently consulted,” residents told Young’s.
The group’s main arguments against the extension are that a “significant number of flats” will lose their view of the Thames; people in the new part of the pub will be able to see into some flats; more people and more deliveries will mean more noise, “like having one of those party barges moored permanently in front of us”; and that the area is mainly residential.
Falcon Point residents also argue that the plans are out of character with the area “Architecturally the proposal would despoil an important aspect from the river and the north bank. This is crude architecture and construction completely at odds with the [existing] building,” the letter says.
Young’s said in the planning statement that the proposals are “an appropriate design solution”.
Planning documents show the company consulted Falcon Point residents in 2018 and adapted its proposal before submitting it.
A spokesperson for Young’s said it was important for the company to engage with its neighbours on the proposals, and it was pleased that locals took part in consultations, resulting in changes to the plans before they were submitted.
The spokesperson added: “We responded directly to concerns raised by residents of Falcon Point, including reducing the height of the proposed extension, introducing obscure glazing to protect privacy, and the introduction of a comprehensive Delivery and Servicing Management Plan and Noise Management Plan.
“The Founder’s Arms is an important part of the Falcon Point Estate and our proposals will improve the facilities and appearance of this popular pub.”
Young’s added in its planning application that the extension would create 22 jobs at the peak of summer business. The company also pointed out that pubs have been hit hard in the Covid-19 and investment like this scheme is key for the sector.