Farage Claim Riverside Pub Tricked into Breaking Rules Denied

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Council says Watermans Arms in Barnes repeatedly flouted Covid-19 restrictions

One of images submitted to licensing committee

Richmond council has sent out a press release responding to Nigel Farage over “inaccurate information” he posted in a tweet about enforcement action taken against a pub in Barnes.

The council said it wanted to set the record straight regarding a recent local licensing infringement at the Waterman’s Arms, which Mr Farage claimed was an example of the council trying to “trick” the pub.

Earlier this year the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported how the council’s licensing sub-committee took measures to limit drinking and rowdy behaviour outside the Barnes pub due to complaints from locals about the amount of people drinking outside after the first lockdown.

Sarah Clover, representing the licence holder, told the committee that issues relating to people gathering and drinking outside were linked to the sudden release from lockdown, and were not an ongoing issue.

Its licence was then reviewed so that after 8pm, any alcohol the pub sells to be drunk off the premises, will have to be in sealed takeaway containers.

But last week the pub was prevented from continuing to operate a click and collect service.

The council said this is because it was “considered to be repeatedly flouting the Covid-19 rules – ignoring numerous warnings from the council and local police.”

In a video posted on social media Mr Farage, now the leader of the Brexit Party, interviewed general manager Adam Sandford who said that he was approached by a man on 20 November asking to buy a pint of beer to takeaway.

He claims that he initially told the man that all pints must be pre-ordered online according to the lockdown rules, however, after several rounds of pleading, he sold the man a pint as a “favour.”

Not long after, Mr Sandford said the man returned with another man, but this time they were both wearing licensing authority badges, and informed the pub that it had violated the restrictions by selling the pint.

It was then given a prohibition notice.

Richmond Council disputes this and said the latest action followed a series of other enforcement measures taken by the council which were prompted by complaints from local residents and which were supported by the local police.

The council said that officers received dozens of complaints from the local community and found that the pub was selling and serving alcohol to customers who were gathering and consuming alcohol immediately opposite the pub.

It said, “The pub was aware there was a problem but did not stop serving – despite sometimes over 50 people gathering along the riverfront both in the summer and during November lockdown, with no social distancing.”

It added that “whilst the pub committed to introducing a time delay of 30 minutes on their online ordering app – people did not disperse and gatherings persisted.”

The council said staff were “taking little action to encourage customers to move on with their takeaway drinks”, and there was “very little and sometimes no social distancing” when queuing to pick up drinks.

During the second lockdown, the council says the problems continued to escalate, and the management were issued with further warnings on the November 10 and 20.

When the pub management refused to take action, they were issued with a Prohibition Notice on 25 November, which prevented them from continuing to operate a click and collect service until 2 December.

The council said the order did not prevent them from operating a delivery service.

Cllr Gareth Roberts, leader of Richmond Council, said: “This council is not in the business of punishing pubs, indeed nobody who knows me would ever consider me to be anti-pub. However, the bottom line is this – the regulations are NOT in place to punish pubs. They exist to stop the spread of coronavirus and subsequently SAVE LIVES.

“We have hundreds of pubs across the borough that have worked so hard to follow the rules. And, whilst the impact of the restrictions is clearly financially tough – they are there to stop people getting sick and dying.

“We have always been very clear. We will work with businesses to help them understand the rules. If we hear of infringements – we will discuss them with the businesses and help them to operate within the law. However, if businesses repeatedly fail to follow the letter of the law, putting lives at risk, we will take action.

“We have a very different view on what actually happened at The Waterman’s Arms and on the events that built up to the moment depicted in a wholly biased interview currently circulating on social media. However, what is made clear in the interview is that the pub’s failure to take responsibility is an ongoing issue – not a singular moment in time.”

Inspector Rebecca Robinson, from Richmond Police, said that the council and the Met’s South West licensing team have been working together to engage with the The Waterman’s Arms to ensure it is adhering to the current Covid-19 regulations.

She said: “Unfortunately, both the police and council have continued to receive complaints from the public and the pub was found in breach of the regulations several times. The Waterman’s Arms was visited on November 20 by police and the council at separate times and found to be breaching the regulations again.

“The pub was issued a Prohibition Notice which stopped it from operating a click and collect service prior to today’s new regulations (December 2). This is in addition to a hearing in July which reduced the pub’s operating times for sales.”

Sian Bayley - Local Democracy Reporter

December 3, 2020