Southwark Council has denied claims it is planning to scrap Rotherhithe’s boat pub, the Wibbley Wobbley, after over 700 people signed a petition calling for it to be saved.
Council staff said they had “no plans” to get rid of the beloved floating boozer, located in Greenland Dock, which, they say, has been closed all this year.
Councillor Darren Merrill, Southwark cabinet member for environment and public realm, told the News that the pub’s owners were given a list of improvements that needed to be made in order to re-open. The council said it has heard nothing regarding these ‘health and safety’ improvements in the months since, and has struggled to contact the owners.
He said: “The council has no plans to scrap the Wibbley Wobbley, a place thoroughly enjoyed by many of our residents. However, we have a duty to ensure that all local venues are safe, and sadly the pub poses too much of a risk to keep open.
“A number of recommendations for improvements have been provided to the pub’s owner, but to date, we’ve not been contacted with confirmation that works have been carried out.
“It would be wonderful to see the venue open again, but we need to be reassured that residents can enjoy themselves in a safe and secure environment.”
The council list of its safety concerns include a lack of alarms and automatic pumps required in the event of flooding.
Efforts were made by the News to contact the owners of the Wibbley Wobbley for a comment, but no response was received.