A Notting Hill pub, which boasts an array of famous regulars including singer Dua Lipa and Princess Eugenie, has launched a court fight after noise complaints from neighbours triggered a wave of restrictions.
The Pelican, which opened in late 2021, has drawn in large crowds after its Michelin-guide approved food saw it go viral on TikTok.
But now it faces a legal challenge after just nine locals voiced concerns about noisy customers.
This led to a series of restrictions being imposed on the drinking spot, including banning drinkers and diners from going outside after 9pm.
The new rules will also see more bouncers standing outside the pub on weekends, and street wardens with high-visibility jackets monitoring the surrounding area between 10pm and 12.30am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until all patrons have left.
The Pelican (pictured), which opened in late 2021, has drawn in large crowds after its Michelin-guide approved food saw it go viral on TikTok
But now it faces a legal challenge after just nine locals voiced concerns about noisy customers (pictured, during the filming of London Boulevard)
The Notting Hill pub boasts an array of famous regulars including singer Dua Lipa (pictured)
Princess Eugenie (pictured) has also been spotted at the venue which opened in late 2021
The restrictions were brought in on the grounds that the venue was ‘undermining the prevention of public nuisance and public safety’, The Standard reports.
Some neighbours claimed that they ‘had to sleep with earplugs’ to block out loud conversations between drinkers as they left the pub.
The Pelican’s owners are now appealing some of the stricter measures introduced by Kensington and Chelsea council, with a three-day hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court set for July 16-18 this year.
James Gummer, who opened the highly popular venue with Phil Winser, produced evidence showing that they had the backing of 18 locals.
James Rankin represented the bar at the review meeting last year and pointed out that ‘a pub has existed in this location under various guises for hundreds of years’ and neighbours’ ‘concerns do not trump everything’.
The barrister accepted that the pub had been busier than anticipated and ‘on occasion there was more noise than [Mr Gummer] would have liked’.
The Pelican lies in one of the most affluent areas of London where flats often sell for more than £1.8million.
The neighbourhood is a hotspot for celebrities with residents including Simon Cowell, Stella and Elton John.
The pub has been a hit since its opening thanks to a modern menu which features cured trout and a lobster and monkfish pie.
The restrictions were brought in on the grounds that the venue was ‘undermining the prevention of public nuisance and public safety’
Some neighbours claimed that they ‘had to sleep with earplugs’ to block out loud conversations between drinkers as they left the pub
The new rules will also see more bouncers standing outside the pub on weekends, and street wardens with high-visibility jackets monitoring the surrounding area between 10pm and 12.30am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until all patrons have left
The Pelican lies in one of the most affluent areas of London where flats often sell for more than £1.8million
The gastro pub offers a menu which features in the Michelin guide
Fears for the capital’s nightlife have been mounting among venue owners, despite London mayor Sadiq Khan’s ‘night czar’ Amy Lamé being paid £117,000 a year.
She is facing fresh scrutiny given the number of places forced to close down amid post-Covid struggles and many more pressures.
Research has suggested London has been hit worse than anywhere else in England for pub closures with 46 venues going in just six months, according to real estate analysts Altus Group last October.
Many pubs have been targeted by neighbours moaning about noise, including the 200-year-old Compton Arms in Islington, north London.
This was threatened after four new neighbours who moved into the area during lockdown complained revellers were too loud and that it was a danger to health – while also raising particular concerns about Arsenal fans congregating there.
The Compton Arms, which inspired an essay by George Orwell on the perfect boozer, faced having its licence revoked by Islington Council – before a ruling in the pub’s favour, although restricting outdoor drinking hours to 10pm at the latest.
Major pub chains have, however, been announcing widespread closures.
The Pelican’s owners are now appealing some of the stricter measures introduced by Kensington and Chelsea council, with a three-day hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court set for July 16-18 this year
The pub has been a hit since its opening thanks to a modern menu which features cured trout and a lobster and monkfish pie
Colin Farrell was seen filming London Boulevard at the bar, which has proved hugely popular since it opened
Wetherspoons said it in 2022 it would be shutting down 32 venues, including 14 in London, while last year Revolution Bars said it would be closing eight.
The trade body UK Hospitality has predicted more than 10,000 pubs and restaurants could close due to a ‘perfect storm’ of inflation, energy costs and rising rents.
Since the beginning of 2022, noise complaints have hit more than 20 bars and pubs across Greater London – with even some late-night takeaways getting slammed for their noise levels.