BBC chef's pub in planning war with neighbours
A BBC chef's pub is at war with neighbours over plans they claim will make a picturesque village a 'lout's paradise.'
Residents living near The Mount by Glynn Purnell, in Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, say their 'peaceful town' is already being ruined by drunken pub-goers.
They fear the impact that drinkers will have on the high street if the venue gets permission to stage a string of outdoor music concerts.
The pub is owned by Purnell's millionaire business partner, Luke Fryer, 52. Mr Fryer and his wife, Tania, 51, opened the pub in 2022 and hired Michelin-starred chef Purnell to run the kitchen.
The eaterie – which charges £25 for haddock and chips and £40 for an 8oz fillet steak – currently has permission to hold three alfresco gigs a year. The pub bosses want to boost that to 15 a year, with most concerts likely to take place in the spring and summer.
People living near the pub have said the beer garden already creates too much noise, including 'bellowing parents' and rowdy drinkers.
Noisy garden
In a joint letter written 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.'
The letter claimed some customers had verbally abused residents who have gardens backing onto the pub. 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 live next door to The Mount and have expressed alarm at the increase in noise coming from the pub.
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.'
Another resident and business owner, Holly Wingfield, 50, 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.'
Locals backing the plans
Despite the 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'.
Mr Fryer defended the plans, saying: '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.'
Stratford District Council's licensing committee will debate the application to increase the number of outside events on Tuesday.
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