The Phene Arms, Chelsea

What you experienced here is becoming common practice all over the UK. Thanks to New Labour's so-called "liberalisation" of the Licensing Laws which, as was the intention, let the public gain an external control over the operation of licensed premises, via local councils.
A licensing regime which had functioned cheaply and efficiently since Tudor times was replaced by bureaucratic hotch-potch of Byzantine complexity and crippling expense; a potentially corrupt system whereby Local Licensing Committees, ever mindful of voter power, ever mindful of their cushy jobs, are easily bullied and intimidated by even one determined resident, or bought-off (perish the thought) by one cash-rich property developer!
My view is, things will only get worse until such times as we drinkers take matters into our own hands and force a showdown. To borrow a slogan from elsewhere... Just say NO.
I had a similar experience out side a pub recently. I was sitting outside a Hampstead back-street pub, quietly minding my own business, when a burly barmaid came marching up to me and ordered me back inside; it was, as she told me, a condition of the pub's license. It was 8 in the evening, the sun was still shining and the birds were still singing. I politely declined her orders. "I'm NOT going indoors, and what are you going to do about it? You can't throw me out, since I am already out. Are you going to call the police to come and throw me IN? Hmmm?" End of argument. Come on guys and gals... get organised, it has to be done!

3 Jun 2011 13:54