A gay pub in Hackney is due to have its opening hours reduced from 4 AM over the weekends to 12:30AM after a ‘Crime and Disorder’ label was slapped on the venue.
By Newsdesk | 14th October 2013
The Joiner’s Arms which is one of the East End’s longest running LGBT pubs is fighting for the right to keep its licensing conditions the same after a number of crimes were reported to the local police most notably alleged theft of mobile phones and a number of violent incidents outside the establishment.
The management team at the Joiner’s Arms have said that they will work with the police by increasing CCTV coverage, ensure the use of plastic cups instead of glass and sending members of it’s security detail on intensive training.
It is feared that by shortening the pub's opening hours that the owners will face closure and bankruptcy.
Jamie Ashford a regular at the pub said in a statement issued by the Joiner’s Arms ,
“This part of East London will become less safe for members of the LGBT community. In early 2011 leaflets appeared near the George and Dragon, declaring a ‘Gay Free Zone’ and threatening punishment to any who failed to comply. The irony is that if this license change is permitted, then the council will have succeeded where hate and prejudice once failed. A vital safe haven will haven will be destroyed and we will all be immeasurably poorer.”
The Joiners Arms is provisionally scheduled for the Licensing Sub Committee meeting on Wednesday 6th November 2013 at 2pm but the management have have to email/write to the licensing committee by 17th October if they wish to speak at it.
Laura Kerrigan, a spokeswoman for the pub said,
'Everyone who is interested should attend the meeting because there will probably be other local people there speaking against the joiners, as well as the police, so if a bunch of bright and wacky gays turn up at the very least it will make the politicians stop and think.'
There is a meeting this evening at The Joiner’s Arms between 6 and 11PM
David Pollard 16 opened the pub years ago.
The Joiners are allowing supporters to come together there to write letters to
the Licensing Commission. We have less than a week to make our stance. We need your help.
Check out the petition here
https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/save-the-joiners-arms-london-shoreditch
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