Dear Local Resident

Thank you for looking at this petition regarding the Earl Haig Memorial Hall on Elder Avenue, Crouch End, N8.

You may not be aware, but Antic Ltd, an owner of pubs across London is currently applying for a late-night and alcohol license for the Earl Haig Memorial Hall, Elder Avenue, Crouch End.  If successful, the pub would be able to stay open until 01.30 on weekend evenings and play live music until 11.00 and recorded music until 01.00. 

Many local residents are very fond of the Earl Haig Hall and a local consortium tried to purchase the property from the British Legion so that it could be used by the local community.  Unfortunately, they were vastly out-bid at auction earlier this year by City and Westminster Developments (CAWD) – a property developer. 

Haringey Council has maintained throughout that the property must be kept for community use and not as a residential property.  Because of Haringey’s planning restrictions CAWD are now trying to cut their losses and sell it on to Antic.

Should Antic buy the property, they will re-develop the site as a pub, next door to the Queens on Elder Avenue, a residential street.  There will be an increase in noise and rubbish, especially for residents next door and across the road, and no doubt another pub will have an impact on local parking.  Many local residents have young children and feel strongly that the last thing a residential street needs is a pub.

The council must find a solution that benefits the local community and the hall, but another late-night drinking venue is not the answer.  The council must also spend time consulting with local residents to hear what they would like to happen to the Hall.

If you wish, please sign this petition and send it on to anyone you know who lives locally who might also object to the license application.  Alternatively, please write to your local councillor, in this case, Lyn Weber, Lyn.Weber@haringey.gov.uk or David Winskill, winskill@blueyonder.co.uk to express your concern. 

You may also wish to write to Haringey’s Licensing Team with your objection at: Enforcement Service, Technopark, Ashley Road, Tottenham, N17 9LN or email licensing@haringey.gov.uk .  Deadlines for receipt of letters is Friday 28 September.

Many thanks for your help and I’d be happy to discuss further with you.  I will aim to keep all signatories informed of developments.

Miki Lentin – mikilentin@fastmail.co.uk / 07976 793 666

Update 22 September

Dear Signatories

Many thanks for taking the time to sign the petition regarding the application by Antic Ltd for a license at the Earl Haig Hall.

Last night, myself, a few other local residents and Councillor David Winskill met with Max Alderman who is one of the partners at Antic, to give him the chance to express his case for the development of a pub in the Earl Haig Hall.

Whilst he did a good job at answering our numerous questions, I left feeling even more concerned than I did when I went into the meeting.  The key point for me is that Antic is requesting a late-night license until 01.00 am from Thursday to Saturday.  In practical terms, this means that they will stop serving at 01.00, which means that people will leave between 01.30 and 02.00. The doors will eventually be locked after staff have cashed and cleaned up which could be anything up to 02.30-03.00! 

The noise from people milling outside the venue, shouting, calling taxis and staff getting rid of bottles and rubbish at the time of the morning, will cause a massive disturbance to the street.  Further, Max did not seem to appreciate my concern that punters leaving the Queens at 11.30 will then all pile into the Earl Haig and that we could also have a situation whereby two pubs are closing at the same time, adding to disturbance that already exists in the area! 

Antic seem to have good intentions – they want to ensure that they build a strong relationship with the local community and many of their pubs have won awards for being ‘good pubs’.  However, they seem to have a bizarre assumption that the Earl Haig will attract an older crowd and not a younger ‘Kiss the Sky’ or ‘Kings Head’ crowd. I frankly think that is nonsense as anywhere with a late license will attract a younger and therefore noisier crowd.  Also, when asked if they would consider opening during normal pub hours, Max said that a great deal of their business is done between 10.00pm and 01.00am, which means a very busy pub during that time.

They believe that their application to run a pub will not need a change of use from the planning committee, so it is crucial that as many people as possible object to this.  This is essentially about the fabric of this road and the surrounding roads.  It will have a major impact on all of us and I would request that you send this petition to your friends and colleagues in the area asking them to sign it.  The more objectors, the better chance we have of stating our case for our community.  Please send your objection to the licensing team at Haringey Council – licensing@haringey.gov.uk or fill in the details on the form which can be found here - http://www.haringey.gov.uk/licensing_representation_form.pdf

Deadline is next Friday 28 September.

Thanks for your support

Miki Lentin

Fairfield Road

mikilentin@fastmail.co.uk

07976793666

Hi All

Just to let you know that the council will be hearing this application on Thursday 18 October at 7pm.  The hearing will take place at Haringey's Civic Centre which is in Wood Green.  It would be great if you can attend to show your support.

More info to follow.

Thanks

Miki

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