Town Hall licensing chiefs ruled in favour of The Compton Arms in Highbury

THE publican at the famous Compton Arms pub said he was “relieved” following a successful fight to keep hold of its licence this week after it was taken to a review by a small band of neighbours.

Nick Stephens praised the outpouring of support the pub in Compton Avenue, Highbury, had received from both near and far after five neighbours took it to a licence review hearing on Wednesday over claims late-night street drinking and loud voices were ruining their sleep.

Supporters argued the pub – the inspiration behind George Orwell’s ode to the “perfect pub” – could have faced closure if its garden opening hours were cut and it was forced to install inner doors and air conditioning. They said that would have left the tiny 10-table venue without enough space.

Speaking after the hearing, Mr Stephens said: “We are relieved because common sense has prevailed. We were, and still are, totally overwhelmed by the support we received. It’s been a stressful time for everybody and we are very glad it’s over. We hope that we can find a bit more harmony, now that it’s behind us.”

His comments came after dozens of people turned up at the Town Hall hearing to speak on behalf of the pub, including those who said it was a “massive community asset” that should be treasured at a time bars were struggling in the economic storm.

Residents who supported the pub at the review

A record number of more than 2,000 people also wrote in to the council in support of the pub, while another nearly 1,000 representations were dismissed as “invalid” due to missing names or addresses.

Time Out magazine editor Joseph Mackertich, who lives one street away, said “communities need pubs like the Compton Arms” and suggested its biggest challenge was its success.

“It’s only crime is to be too successful and to have reinvigorated the area and bring people in who weren’t there before and who love that place,” he added.

Fellow neighbour Sophie Swift said: “It’s a massive asset to the community. I genuinely feel very lucky to have it as our local and anyone I’ve spoken to has been massively in support of the pub.”

Earlier in the evening Dr Hannah Flinders, one of the five residents who called for the review, had pleaded with councillors to improve noise controls due to the number of doctors living in the street – including one running a Covid ward – who “really do need a good night’s sleep”.

Publican Nick Stephens (wearing tie)

Dr Flinders, who worked as a Barnsbury GP for 20 years, said: “I want to put a human face to the ‘gang of nimbys’ who have been pilloried in the media. We are not a group of nimbys and we haven’t just arrived – we’ve lived there for 20 years each. We are human beings who wish for peace in our homes.”

Warning that they did not want to “spoil anyone’s fun”, she instead argued they had been forced to call for a review after Mr Stephens took over three years ago.

“Why do we suddenly have it in for the Compton Arms after all these years? Because we’re absolute rotters and spoilsports? No. Because it isn’t the pub it once was,” she added.

“We understand it can’t be the same pub but there is a chasm between the ideal pub of yesteryear and Studio 54 at the Compton Arms as it was described recently in The Independent.

“We don’t want the pub closed, we love it, we just want to live without fear in peace with nobody shouting and screaming and urinating and block­ing the road with parties and street drinking.”

But licensing chiefs rejected calls to close the garden at 8pm, ruling it can stay open until 10.30pm. They also pushed back against the request to end street drinking, and instead have allowed up to 20 drinkers on the pavement outside until 10pm.

Earlier in the evening noise officers reported that despite being called out 34 times since last year, “either no issues were witnessed or not considered to be a statutory nuisance”, apart from on two occasions.