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Camden News - by DAN CARRIER
Published: 12 February 2009

Burgh House late licence rejected

LICENSING chiefs last night (Wednesday) blocked plans to extend the sale of alcohol at one of Hampstead’s most genteel venues.
Permission to serve wine and beer in The Buttery at Burgh House, the Queen Anne home which holds a special place in the hearts of the area’s well-heeled residents, was fixed at 6pm by councillors.
New managers had asked for permission to carry on serving until 11pm, a move which led to protests among neighbours.
Clinical psychologist Dr Jane Gilmour, whose home is just yards away from Burgh House, wrote to the committee saying she feared the licence would affect her young family.
She told the Town Hall’s committee: “The noise created by a gathering consuming alcohol with live music until 11pm at night will cause the children considerable distress and disruption.
“Any activities in the garden can be clearly heard and understood by our young son and we are most concerned he will be exposed to inappropriate language.”
Neighbour John Bryant said he feared the application marked a change in how Burgh House was run: “I have seen it change from a community arts centre into being a professional enterprise.
“In recent years wedding receptions have become more frequent.”
Burgh House trustee Tony Gilchik said after the meeting he was happy with the decision and that Burgh House would strive to meet any concerns of its neighbours. He added: “This was not a new application, merely the renewal of one held before. Most of the people who come in are local and it would have been a real shame if it had been turned down.”
The application had presented members of the Heath and Hampstead Society with a conundrum – the society has a track record of objecting to alcohol licences in Hampstead, yet many of the its most prominent members are also on the management board of Burgh House.

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