BBC chef's pub is turning our peaceful town into a louts' paradise: Neighbours at war over 'noisy' outdoor events 'attracting drunken crowd'

Daily Mail​

21-04-2025

Residents living near a BBC chef's pub are fearing their quaint village will be transformed into a 'louts' paradise' amid plans to stage a string of outdoor music concerts.
Villagers living by The Mount by Glynn Purnell, in Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, say drunken pubgoers are already destroying their 'peaceful town'.
The pub, which is owned by millionaire Luke Fryer and his wife Tania, opened in 2022 and Michelin-starred chef Purnell was hired to run the kitchen.
Pub bosses are now seeking permission to host more than a dozen outdoor music concerts a year in a move residents say will bring more noise and rowdiness.
The Mount currently has permission to hold three outdoor gigs a year, but they are hoping to increase this to 15 a year, with the majority taking place over the spring and summer.
In a joint letter to the council, residents said: 'We all appreciate that The Mount are trying to achieve a viable business, and we would point out that we are not unreasonable.
'We already put up with the noise emanating from their garden when it is full of people.
'This includes people having rows, people having loud phone conversations against our boundary, people bellowing at their kids when they think they're getting too near the river.'
They also claimed residents whose gardens back onto the pub have been verbally abused by punters.
It said there were incidents of 'people having a go at us because we have the audacity to have a barbecue with friends in the privacy of our own garden and objecting to the smells from our barbecue.'
Brian and Sue Westmacott, who live next door to The Mount, said they are struggling with the increase in noise.
Mr Westmacott, 69, said: 'Even if the applicant spread the events throughout the spring and summer, it would still amount to at least one event per fortnight, based on a simple average of 15 events across 26 weeks/weekends.'
Meanwhile Holly Wingfield, a business owner and resident who lets out a flat above her shop, said: 'I strongly object to The Mount's application to inflict even more noise on my tenant who dwells in the flat above my shop.
'My tenant has complained to me about the music activities occurring regularly in the front of the pub. She has also complained about the noise their guests make when vacating the premises late at night. My worry is that the proposed increase of audible events will render the flat unlettable.'
Another local fumed: 'It's bad enough in the summer with endless noise and swearing coming from the pub garden, now they want to hold even more boozy music events.
'Everyone needs to make a living but the people who own and run this pub have no consideration for the people living nearby.
Locals claimed residents whose gardens back onto the pub have been verbally abused by punters
'Our once lovely town is being taken over by drunk louts. I dread it when the sun's out because you know you'll never get any peace.'
Despite overwhelming opposition to the music plans, some locals are supportive.
Sam Taylor, who works opposite the pub, said: 'I am in and out of the office at all times, including when live music has been on, and have never heard music coming from the premises in question.
'Since The Mount took over I feel that they have certainly impacted Henley in a positive way, and they seem to operate the business in a very professional manner.'
Another said she believed the pub should 'have the freedom' to hold outside events while another urged the council to 'support these venues'.
Pub owner Luke Fryer defended the plans to hold more outside events, adding: 'We employ about 30 people in the pub, many of them live nearby so without the pub those jobs would not be there.
'We want to make a viable business while working with residents living nearby. I'm not up in arms or divided with anyone about this.'
The controversy comes months after Purnell was forced to apologise after suddenly closing his Michelin-starred restaurant in Birmingham, leaving diners stunned.
Stratford District Council's licensing committee will debate the application to increase the number of outside events on Tuesday.