22-07-2025
What's really behind the death of London pubs?
Or another example: The Pelican in Notting Hill – a pub that has existed for over 250 years. Opening as Covid lockdowns ended, we hold our hands up to having been unprepared for the swell of customers that summer. But even when we'd got to grips with it, the venue faced a sustained campaign by individuals, taken unquestioningly by the authorities, leading to a lengthy process of official challenges to regain permission for a few tables outside. And, as ever, the legal fees. The most serious (spurious) allegations were never upheld, but the license conditions remain a daily challenge to maintain.
