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Extra drinking time please, plead regulars
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Customers put case for ‘community’
pub at Town Hall
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From left, regulars John Briffa, Tom Mitchell, Maria Roache,
Jim Roache, John Early, Sharon Duffy, landlady Ellen Corley,
John Behan, Ian Sutton, Michael Canning, Brendan Thompson
and Jim Buckle at the Town Hall
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REGULARS at an Islington pub turned out in force on Tuesday to
help their favourite watering hole win the right to stay open later.
Islington Council’s licensing committee heard how it was impossible
for drinkers at Corley’s Tavern in New North Road – most
of whom were well over 60 – to be capable of causing the loutish
behaviour that had brought complaints from objectors.
The regulars said that youths hanging out in a nearby park were
to blame for litter, vomiting and intimidation of lone women. The
committee heard how, since taking over the pub 11 years ago, licensees
Gerard and Ellen Corley had worked hard to ensure troublemakers
stayed away.
But a resident, Felix Ngonadi, claimed in a letter to the committee:
“A further problem is that the intimidating and aggressive
looks given by some customers, both drunk and sober, frighten us
and restrict our movement, especially those of my children outside
the flat in the evenings and at night.”
He added: “Our front garden is always littered with broken
glass, half-empty bottles, pint glasses, wine bottles and cans.
Our gate, fence and garden are soiled with vomit.”
Mr Corley replied: “I don’t sell wine by the bottle and
I don’t sell cans. I don’t honestly know where they came
from.”
Laura Gurney, a 26-year-old local government officer who lives in
New North Road, said: “There’s a lot of problems around
there and noise from people loitering.
“I know it’s not the fault of the pub but we have to work
together. I’m frightened to walk home at night when people
are loitering outside. I’m scared that if the pub’s opening
hours are increased that’s going to exacerbate the problem.”
Regular John Briffa, a 71-year-old former stone mason, defended
the pub.
He said: “It would be hard to find two other publicans like
the Corleys.
“The place is a community, all of us together. It’s also
one of the few places we can get together for a game of solo.”
The committee agreed that the pub could open for an extra hour,
until midnight, Sundays to Thursdays, and for an extra two hours,
until 1am, on Fridays and Saturdays. One of the conditions was that
the manager’s phone number should be made available to residents.
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