Joyce Wheelan at The Lincoln Arms

By FELIX BRIGHT

THE landlady of a pub in King’s Cross says she has been forced to shut down an outside seating area this summer following an order from Camden Council.

The Lincoln Arms – which sits on the boroughs’ border in York Way, King’s Cross – has been serving customers at tables in a stretch of pavement beside the pub for almost 20 years. The council said it had rejected a recent application due to fire safety and pedestrian access.

Landlady Joyce Wheelan told the New Journal she felt her business was under threat from a bureaucratic nightmare with Camden controlling the street and Islington in control of the pub’s building.

She said: “They told us that because this wall touches the pavement, we can put one table there. But none of our walls touches the rest of the pavement, so we can’t put any furniture down there on that side.”

She added “Our trade has dropped because of the fine weather – people don’t want to sit inside.”

Ms Wheelan said she had submitted all the planning documents to Camden but had been told that just one table was allowed. She said she “couldn’t get through to anyone”. adding: “I did go down, and luckily there was a lovely lady on reception who started emailing everyone she could think of.”

The Lincoln Arms

The landlady is particularly put out by the apparent contradictions in the council’s approach to outdoor seating. Ms Wheelan questioned why a council that was promoting the Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan’s Summer Streets initiative was so against her having tables for customers in the summer sun.

“They want to promote outside seating for pubs, restaurants and everything. And then they’re saying no,” said Ms Wheelan.

The Lincoln Arms building has a historical listed status due to original ironwork that hangs over the entrance. The pub had a modern makeover but has reverted back to its traditional pub style in recent years.

Journalist Simon Hattenstone, who works at the Guardian office nearby and is a regular at the Lincoln Arms, described the situation as “Kafkaesque.”

He told the New Journal: “It’s common sense that Camden should ease up – there are very few community pubs, and it’s incredibly well managed by Joyce.”

Referring to Camden’s summer seating hypocrisy highlighted by Ms Wheelan, Mr Hattenstone added: “You hear all the time about pubs closing and struggling, yet Camden seems to be biting off their nose to spite their face by making it impossible for a fantastic pub with a great atmosphere to succeed.”

A Camden Council spokesperson said: “The Council has not refused permission for the Lincoln Arms to use the area directly outside its own premises. The recent pavement licence application sought permission for six tables and 20 chairs to be placed outside a neighbouring property, rather than within the pub’s own frontage. As this proposed area is understood to include a fire exit serving the neighbouring building, the application could not be approved due to concerns about pedestrian access and safety.

“We remain committed to supporting local businesses and will continue to work with applicants to ensure any use of the public highway is safe, accessible and appropriately authorised.”