Victory for pub’s campaign against flats

Wellington Pub Company submitted a planning application to convert the upper floor of the White Hart pub in New Cross, south London, into flats.

Publican brothers Patrick and Joseph Ryan rallied pubgoers and local residents against the application, including an online petition to the council and a special beer to promote the cause.

Lewisham Council members made a unanimous recommendation to grant listed building consent and refuse planning permission for flats at a planning committee meeting last week.

An assessment from the environment agency had recommended sound insulation should be installed, opening hours be restricted, and the prevention of live amplified music, if flats were added.

“We get a lot of business from our live music and it would make it unviable for us I would say, to trade, if they restrict the hours and the licence to those conditions,” operator Joseph Ryan previously explained to The Morning Advertiser​.​ 

Community backing

The pair have now thanked locals for their support, which included 319 letters sent to Lewisham Council and more than 3,250 signatures on an online petition.

Joseph said: “We really couldn’t have done it without the overwhelming support from the community. We are so thankful to everyone who supported us.”

A special beer called #SavetheHart was brewed by Cellar Boys, owned by Patrick, to raise awareness of the campaign. 

The pub hosts regular music nights including jazz, traditional Irish and grime.

Many of the pub’s patrons shared their memories of the venue and left supportive messages on its online petition page.

One said: “The management and staff working under Paddy have worked wonders in turning around a pub which was virtually always empty into a welcoming, vibrant venue which attracts people from diverse backgrounds who live locally or from further away. 

“It has been a significant success story and it would be such a shame if it had to close.”