|
|
 |
| |
| Town Hall told: ‘Be brave
and curb bars’ |
Barrister fears new law will bring
rise in binge drinking
|
Barrister Christopher Spratt
|
A BARRISTER criticised new liberal licensing laws this week,
claiming they will lead to more binge drinking and crime.
Christopher Spratt spoke out after a Town Hall licensing committee
approved an application from the Boudoir bar in Chiswell Street,
near his Barbican home, to stay open an hour later.
He accused the government of producing a badly drawn up act, creating
confusion where there should be clarity.
Mr Spratt said: “I’d like to see the act reviewed and
I’ve asked my MP, Mark Field, to vote for this at the next
stage. I’d also like to see local authorities like Islington
being brave and saying that what is needed is less licensed premises,
not more.”
Last week, Lord Simon of Highbury, a former adviser to the Prime
Minister, attacked a decision to allow drinking until midnight at
the Canonbury Tavern next to his home.
Mr Spratt, married with a baby daughter, argued that extending the
Boudoir’s licence would have a knock-on effect for the four
other licensed premises in Chiswell Street, which he fears will
now also want to stay open until the early hours
He said: “The Barbican is a residential area and there are
a lot of young families with children living there.
“When I moved there in 1999 it was a quiet area, but once bars
in nearby Smithfield started getting late licences, in one case
until 6am, one became more aware of lying in bed at night and hearing
screaming and shouting from midnight onwards.
“Gradually, we’ve noticed more vandalism, including the
kicking in of a glass window on the Barbican estate. Caretakers
have been threatened and abused by drunks.
“There’s a growing number of people staggering along Chiswell
Street and causing trouble.”
Another resident claimed in written evidence that crowds leaving
clubs in the area attract cars “selling drugs and call girls
who sound their horns for business”.
Katherine Coleman said that from her flat she had seen “people
queuing to buy from cars along the road”.
Boudoir’s area manager, Troy Bett, said the original application
had been for a licence extension to 3am from Sunday to Thursday
and until 4am on Friday and Saturday but this had been scaled back
to 12.30am Sunday to Thursday and 1.30am Friday and Saturday.
He added: “This is a well ordered establishment. There have
been no problems with the police and any nuisance that has occurred
originates from Smithfield.” |
|
|
