Latest news with #ClementOgbonnaya
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'I'm worried pub at heart of community will close'
A landlord who has poured "heart, time and money" into a south London pub says it is under threat of closure and is looking for investors to help save it. Clement Ogbonnaya, who has run the Queen of the South pub in Tulse Hill since it opened in May 2023, says Young's, which owns the freehold, "gave us a deadline to buy it back or risk losing it forever". The pub, named in homage to his mother, wife and two daughters, replaced the White Hart pub, which needed a new roof, was infested with rats and had rotting floors. He said: "We've got rid of that ugly tooth on the high street and created a communal space as a hub, a meeting place, a place to celebrate, a place to mourn, a place to share ideas." A Young's spokesperson said: "We remain in exclusive negotiations with Clement regarding the freehold of the pub and have not had any conversations with any other potential bidders regarding the site." The Queen of the South is also used as a community space by organisations including Age UK and UK Youth, a charity which supports young people. "The pub we poured heart, time, and money into, is now under threat," Mr Ogbonnaya said in a public appeal on Instagram. "I believe in what this place represents. And I'm not backing down. You survive alone or you thrive together. We choose to thrive." He called for potential investors to come forward to "save our queen". The London pub where prices jump £2 after 10pm Taylor Swift fans 'overwhelming' London pub On a mission to draw all of London's 3,500 pubs Mr Ogbonnaya told BBC London he stood "to lose everything I've invested in". He added: "I wanted to create a Soho House for the ends. We like to say we represent the other. "It would be a massive shame for this pub to become a Lidl or something else. We're finally finding our feet. The Queen of the South needs to exist." Mr Ogbonnaya says he has been "humbled" by the community's response to the threat of closure. 'Continue to thrive' A Young's spokesperson said: "We recognise the significance of the Queen of the South pub in Tulse Hill as an important part of the local community and have been engaging with Clement Ogbonnaya to reach an agreement that will ensure its continued operation under the current management. "At Young's, ensuring pubs remain vibrant parts of their local communities is an important part of our ethos. "Following our acquisition of City Pub Group in 2024, it was always our intention that this pub remain independent to best serve its community, and we sincerely hope that a solution can be reached that will enable the pub to continue to thrive." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Queen of the South pub landlord in Tulse Hill fears closure
A landlord who has poured "heart, time and money" into a south London pub says it is under threat of closure and is looking for investors to help save Ogbonnaya, who has run the Queen of the South pub in Tulse Hill since it opened in May 2023, says Young's, which owns the freehold, "gave us a deadline to buy it back or risk losing it forever".The pub, named in homage to his mother, wife and two daughters, replaced the White Hart pub, which needed a new roof, was infested with rats and had rotting said: "We've got rid of that ugly tooth on the high street and created a communal space as a hub, a meeting place, a place to celebrate, a place to mourn, a place to share ideas."A Young's spokesperson said: "We remain in exclusive negotiations with Clement regarding the freehold of the pub and have not had any conversations with any other potential bidders regarding the site." The Queen of the South is also used as a community space by organisations including Age UK and UK Youth, a charity which supports young people."The pub we poured heart, time, and money into, is now under threat," Mr Ogbonnaya said in a public appeal on Instagram."I believe in what this place represents. And I'm not backing down. You survive alone or you thrive together. We choose to thrive."He called for potential investors to come forward to "save our queen". Mr Ogbonnaya told BBC London he stood "to lose everything I've invested in".He added: "I wanted to create a Soho House for the ends. We like to say we represent the other."It would be a massive shame for this pub to become a Lidl or something else. We're finally finding our feet. The Queen of the South needs to exist."Mr Ogbonnaya says he has been "humbled" by the community's response to the threat of closure. 'Continue to thrive' A Young's spokesperson said: "We recognise the significance of the Queen of the South pub in Tulse Hill as an important part of the local community and have been engaging with Clement Ogbonnaya to reach an agreement that will ensure its continued operation under the current management."At Young's, ensuring pubs remain vibrant parts of their local communities is an important part of our ethos. "Following our acquisition of City Pub Group in 2024, it was always our intention that this pub remain independent to best serve its community, and we sincerely hope that a solution can be reached that will enable the pub to continue to thrive."
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
South London boozer slated for closure - but community comes together for final standoff
The South London pub, Queen of the South, is under threat of closure but its founder Clement Ogbonnaya says the community has rallied around him in an unprecedented show of support A beloved South London pub and event space faces threat of closure after a major pub group acquired the freehold. The owner of Queen of the South says that the pub group is 'steamrolling' communities but the South London community quickly mobilised to try and 'Save Our Queen'. The uproar started on Monday, July 28, when The Queen of the South's owner Clement Ogbonnaya shared news about the potential closure in an Instagram video. Clement is a key figure in the South London community as the founder of The Village People pub group, which encompasses both Queen of the South in Tulse Hill and its iconic sister space, Prince of Peckham. Beyond functioning as a pub, Queen of the South is a co-working space and known for hosting a range of community and youth events. The Queen also regularly collaborates with local artists, designers, and musicians. News about The Queen comes just after an abandoned UK Butlin's site is now seaside town's 'hell hole' hotel. In his call to action video, Clement said he had been given a 'crazy deadline' to buy the freehold from a then unnamed pub group. He expressed 'embarrassment' for having to ask for help but presented an opportunity for individuals to invest in the space to raise funds. 'This is an opportunity in our community. We can own our own boozer. We can own bricks and mortar for infinity," he said. In a sit down with The Mirror, Clement said the video was more 'therapeutic' but that the overwhelming community response was 'incredibly humbling'. Messages offering legal advice, DMs to invest in the space, and even demands for him to name the offending pub group ratcheted up. He says the video received over 300,000 views in the space of a week. Even those not able to invest were bombarding him with questions about how they could help, prompting Queen of the South to launch a Crowdfunder campaign. However, after a week of rallying, on August 6, Clement shared that their final offer to the pub corporation was rejected. Fresh out of the meeting, Clement revealed via Instagram that Young's Pub was the group that bought the freehold. A spokesperson for Young's told The Mirror: 'We recognise the significance of the Queen of the South pub in Tulse Hill as an important part of the local community and have been engaging with Clement Ogbonnaya to reach an agreement that will ensure its continued operation under the current management. 'We remain in exclusive negotiations with Clement regarding the freehold of the pub and have not had any conversations with any other potential bidders regarding the site.' The group said it was 'always our intention' that the pub remain independent. Clement is sceptical to say the least. 'If they're so committed, they wouldn't be having this conversation with me right now.' For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. He questions not only what will become of the Queen —'some flats' or 'a Tesco '— but who Young's seeks to cater to. 'Who are you serving?' he asks in response to Young's statement. 'Are you serving Tulse Hill or are you serving Dulwich? Are you serving Tulse Hill or are you serving Chelsea?' A reference to Young's polished portfolio of pubs catering to more affluent clientele. 'If pub companies like that claim to be committed to' community' then maybe they should do the community work here and see what happens,' Clement says. He says the deadline to give a final response of whether or not he will buy the freehold was August 6. However, a final verdict on Clement's last offer will arrive on Monday, August 11. He says they are 'still on the verge' of losing The Queen but that he's more at peace with that possibility now. 'Not because I don't stand to lose so much money. Not because all of the hard work we've put into this building doesn't mean anything. It's because I think this is the beginning of The Village People. It's the beginning of actually owning equity.' Even going into his last meeting, Clement says the community fuelled him. 'It was the first time I met with [Young's] that I didn't shrink. I went into that meeting not feeling small. And that's purely because of the outcries—the backing and the support I received.' 'I didn't go in as Clem, I went in as a community,' he says. If this is the end for Queen of the South, Clement says he'll throw a fittingly 'massive' farewell. Five days of massive parties, he promises. He will also send back all the money the group received through the Crowdfunder. That said, the Queen of the South is still up and running right now and the Prince of Peckham is alive and thriving. Clement also recently opened the Setlist bar in collaboration with Somerset House. The crown is tilted, but won't easily be toppled.
Time Out
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The 15 best rooftop bars in London, mapped
The sun is out. Kind of. Almost. It's peeking through the clouds at any rate, which means there's no better time for you to ditch pubs with ceilings and opt for a bar that's open to the elements. We recently revealed our list of the best, non-naff rooftop bars in London. To make it easier for you to work your way through them, we've now popped them all onto a map. Use it to traverse your way through the Peckham rooftop spots, from Frank's and Forza Wine (the National Theatre edition of which came top of the list) to Bussey Rooftop Bar, or let it guide you through Hackney's high-up establishments, including Netil360 and Dalston Roofpark. There's a newbie on the map too – Setlist, which is the rebranded terrace space at Somerset House. It launches for the summer season on May 8, and James Dye of Bambi, and Frank's as well as Clement Ogbonnaya of the Prince of Peckham are behind the custom soundsystem as well as a full-throttle events programme. Food also promises to be a strong point, with chefs Opeoluwa Odutayo, Sophie Wyburd, and Terri Mercieca of Happy Endings holding court in the kitchen.
