Camden News: Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes | Lincoln’s Inn Fields | Jonathan Dalton | Alcohol | St Anselm and St Cecilia

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Camden News - by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS
Published: 15 January 2009

Bowling kingpin strikes fear into church with upmarket deli

Objectors claim ‘place of calm’ will be ruined and children will be affected

AN entrepreneur behind Camden’s bowling craze has incurred the wrath of the clergy after he lodged a bid to serve alcohol at a “deli” next door to a Holborn church.
Jonathan Dalton – the man credited with making 10-pin bowling cool when he brought it to Bloomsbury two years ago in the shape of the Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes – wants to sell alcohol seven days a week at his new venue in Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
But while his bowling venture has seen him feted by locals and celebrities alike, his new scheme, christened River Fleet Deli, has been less of a hit with the neighbours.
In fact, no less than three servants of the church have objected to his plans: a vicar, a priest and a nun have all had their say, not forgetting a headteacher and a 30-page petition from the worshippers at the next-door church of St Anselm and St Cecilia.
Critics argue their peace will be ruined forever if the deli – which shares a party wall with the church and is due to open next month – is given the go-ahead with a liquor licence.
The application requests a closing time of 10.30pm from Thursday to Saturday and 10pm from Monday to Wednesday. The deli would close at 7pm on Sundays.
Parish priest Father David Barnes described his reaction to the application as one of “anxiety” and “horror” and warned it would “make our life unsupportable”.
He added: “The church is one of the few places where people find quiet and calm, and is used by many people every day.
“We would be robbed of this peace if a licence was granted.”
Headteacher Helen Tyler at nearby St Joseph’s School said she had “deep concerns” that pupil excursions to the church would be interrupted by “recorded music” emanating from next door and that youngsters would have to walk past groups of smokers.
She said: “Our procession from the school to the church forms part of our worship and this would be interrupted by the extra people gathering outside the venue to smoke.”
Other objectors said there were already enough bars and pubs in the area that left them dealing with anti-social noise and behaviour such as people urinating on their doorsteps.
But Mr Dalton has defended his plan and revealed he will be bringing up his new-born baby above the property and described it as a “family friendly upmarket deli/ bakery” rather than a rowdy drinking den.
He said: “We will make the upper floors our family home and would not contemplate bringing our child up in an anti-social environment.”
He also insisted that the party wall would be soundproofed and called it “practically impossible” for his business to “disrupt” the “reflective nature” of the church.

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: