Thursday 21 March 2019

WILLY TO REOPEN



by Emmanuel ‘Mustafa’ Goldstein 

On the 14th of March, just three days before the recent Camden/BID v James McGrath court hearing, Camden Council closed down Mr. McGrath’s pub, the King William IV, after a surprise health inspection. The council’s reason? Alleged Mice.
   Locals have confirmed that they've never once seen a mouse there and we concur.
   The timing of the closure – just two weeks after a story broke in the Hampstead Village Voice revealing the council offered the pub a £5k rates credit – £2k of which was to be ‘offset’ against a BID bill in order to vacate the court hearing was, to say the least, curious.
    It was to be a big weekend for the pub. The Six Nations, Cheltenham and, crucially for an 80-year-old Irish landlord, St. Patrick’s Day, all fell immediately after the Council’s enforced closure.
   Is it beyond the realm of possibility someone with a vested interest - pardon the pun - might have ratted to the council about these alleged mice?
   In any case, the pub has been thoroughly sanitised and reopens on Friday 22/03/19 after an enforced 8 day closure. And the Hampstead Village Voice says: Jimmy’s a local hero for fighting off these BID sheisters and standing up to the council.

If you’d like to read the full report and help support the Hampstead Village Voice, please feel free to join www.patreon.com/hampstead from only £2 a month.

CAMDEN COUNCIL | BID v KING WILLIAM TIMELINE

11/10/18: Camden | BID v King William Highbury Magistrates, first hearing: adjourned.   
17/11/18: Camden | BID v King William Highbury Magistrates, second hearing: adjourned.
05/02/19: Camden writes to King William IV offering pay pub £5k ‘rates credit’ and offset £2k to pay the BID and vacate court hearing.
06/02/19: King William IV’s counsel writes to Camden declining its generous offer.
01/03/19: Hampstead Village Voice breaks story on Camden’s attempt to pay rates credit and vacate court hearing.
14/03/19: Camden inspectors close the King William IV due to alleged ‘mouse infestation’.
17/03/19: Camden Council | BID v King William IV court hearing takes place. Adjourned.
21/03/19: King William IV reopens after an enforced 8 day closure.
29/04/19: New date for court hearing. 10am. Highbury Magistrates’ Court.
   
Emmanuel ‘Mustafa’ Goldstein

No comments:

Watcha Hampsters, Hampsteadites and Hampstonians! After weeks banging away at publishing my new book The Joy of Addiction , I've also ma...