Response from SHPG regarding the Controlled Drinking Zone in Merton

29/3/13

Dear Editor,

It was with bemusement that we received the letter from Chris Lee informing all Merton Residents that Merton Council is consulting on making the whole of Merton a ‘designated public place’ ‘due to reported alcohol related anti-social behaviour’

Given that Chris Lee’s department have presided over a lamentable lack of foresight to protect Merton’s dwindling public houses from conversion into shops and flats and in the case of the Morden Tavern actually facilitating this change, failing to use the toothless Pub Protection Policy L16 with no public consultation of residents.

They now want to request an extension of their powers to deal with a problem they have clearly created themselves. If you allow such a rapid drop in Public House provision in the borough is it any wonder that there is in an increase of drinking in public spaces.

If this department had been more proactive in preventing public house closures and listened to what the residents of Merton wanted then they would have saved our money on this unnecessary Orwellian step backwards.

What a painful letter for the residents of the St Helier estate to receive given that the council enabled the loss of our last public house.

SHPG
(St Helier Pub Group)

Morden Tavern loss is 'devastating blow' article - Wimbledon Guardian 31/10/12

http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/yoursay/news/10016988.Morden_Tavern_loss_is_devestating_blow/

Our response to the Wimbledon Guardian article (Pub defenders were 'naive' to suggest co-operative)

It was with bemusement that the SHPG read Mr Clarke’s letter, ‘Morden Tavern defenders were 'naive' to suggest co-operative’, 10th October - http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/yoursay/yournews/wimbledon/9976178.Pub_defenders_were__naive__to_suggest_co_operative/. In the two years in which the Campaign has been running, he has never taken the opportunity to share his superior knowledge with us or sought to influence the future of this community asset, but instead chose to make snide remarks following the appeal decision.

Despite his interest, he demonstrates ignorance of the development proposals: shops were always in the plans from the start and the Campaign enjoys overwhelming support from local shops and the wider community. In fact, thanks to the Campaign, the plans were changed to prevent the front of the Morden Tavern from being replaced with a shop frontage saving the historical features. Additionally, the Planning Inspector has stipulated that the development must include a bar or restaurant, saving a social space of sorts for the community. The Campaign also succeeded in getting a large reduction in both the number of flats to be built and guarantees that the developer will protect the bats that live on the site.

With regards to our ‘naïve’ plans for a community cooperative to run the site, this is a successful business model being followed up and down the country and our plans were drawn up by experienced business professionals with help from members of the pub trade. We had exceeded our minimum target for potential investors and had three large pledges from local business as well as the potential for a significant low interest loan from the Cooperative Bank. The inspector could not consider our plans as they were not a planning matter.

Throughout the campaign we uncovered a number of dubious practices, through Freedom of Information Requests, showing that the Council had, at best a ramshackle sale process for Council assets and disregard for the residents of St Helier. Despite a refusal from the developer to meet with us we feel we have had a very positive influence on this development for the St Helier Community.

More than anything, the Campaign has shown that the residents of St. Helier will not allow the Council to take them for granted.

Morden Tavern defenders were 'naive' to suggest co-operative article - Wimbledon Guardian 10/10/12

Pub defenders were naive to suggest co-operative article - Wimbledon Guardian 10/10/12

http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/yoursay/yournews/wimbledon/9976178.Pub_defenders_were__naive__to_suggest_co_operative/ 

Campaigners lose the battle to save tavern article - Wimbledon Guardian 04/10/12

Timeline of events article - Wimbledon Guardian 04/10/12

October 2012 newsletter

The St Helier Pub Group

Formerly The Campaign for the Morden Tavern October 2012

Planning Appeal - Upheld

The Campaign is saddened to receive the news that the Planning Inspector has upheld the appeal (read the decision here: http://sthelierpubgroup.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/appeal-decision-26912.html) by the developer Reef Estates to build Shops and Flats on the Morden Tavern site.

The community put up a great fight to save our asset and we thought our business plan to turn the Morden Tavern into a multi use pub and community centre was a real winner.

Sad as we are we still believe the battle was worth fighting and that we should be proud of the parts we all played in this David vs Goliath battle.

What now?

It is safe to assume that the developer will be quick to begin work on the site and destroy our heritage (read about the Tavern's history here: http://sthelierpubgroup.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/february-newsletter-2011.html).

The SHPG will be watching carefully to ensure that they do not try to expand the development and that they stick to the letter of their application.

The Campaign will not yet disband as we will be working to realise some form of community bar on the site if the business figures are conducive to this outcome. If you are interested in investing or getting involved, email us here: tavern.development@virginmedia.com

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Campaign for Real Ale salutes St Helier residents

CAMRA's London region, through the London Pubs Group, has been following the tribulations of your Morden Tavern campaign for two years. It was with sadness at this weeks London Liaison meeting that Dale delivered, and we received, the news of the appeal decision. SWL CAMRA have reported that yours was a clean, well-fought battle and that the result does not in any way reflect the enormous work and dedication you have, as a campaign group, put into trying to save your local pub. CAMRA salutes your courage, dedication and commitment. Please keep us posted with any further news. Good luck, and so sorry you didn't get what you deserved. 

John Cryne Regional Director.

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The public hearing took place in the main Council chamber. The Campaign was represented by three members of the committee and the developer by a specialist property lawyer and a high-flying QC.

Around 50 residents along with all three St Helier ward councillors attended the hearing which, given it was a working day we were very pleased with.

The first session focused on the appearance of the proposed development. The council officers made most of the points to refuse planning permission with SHPG also making comments on the size of the proposed development not fitting other properties in Blanchland and Abbotsbury Road and the loss of the amenity space. Reef argued that the gardens were overgrown and that there was a park nearby, which Reef should at the risk of stating the obvious be maintaining.

Councillor Dennis Pearce made various points concerning the loss of the facility of the pub and the size of the development. His submission added a lot of weight to the arguments to dismiss the planning application.

The second session looked at the Heritage implications on the locally listed Morden Tavern. Dale Ingram from CAMRA, a specialist in inter-war public houses like the Tavern gave a detailed and robust analysis of how the development would cause permanent long term damage to the setting and value of this historic asset.

After lunch the SHPG led the discussion on the Council’s pub protection policies (L15 and L16) - the developer and council officers continued to deny there was any interest from the pub sector in taking over the Morden Tavern. We pointed towards an admission from the Estate Agent who dealt with the sale of the Leasehold, obtained by Siobhan McDonagh MP, that they had received bids from the pub sector but these were not the highest bids. We showed that the pub had never gone out of business in its history and was a viable entity.

The SHPG also produced maps to show how few pubs there are in the St. Helier area and how many residents would now be a mile to their nearest pub. Reef’s lawyers observed that the exercise would do them good!

The Appeal Hearing was adjourned to the Morden Tavern for the site visit at 5pm.

The SHPG felt that the Hearing was fair and that the majority of the arguments for and against the development were given a chance to be heard, something which has not happened we believe before.


Our blog: http://sthelierpubgroup.blogspot.co.uk/
Our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/MordenTavern
Our twitter page: https://twitter.com/SaveMordenTav
Our Youtube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/CfMT2011/videos?flow=grid&view=0