Bloody-minded opposition to all-night supermarkets and late-opening clubs!
Earl's Court residents are subjected to pressure by local worthies who, to safeguard property values, are seeking to reverse Britain's growing trend towards a twenty-four hour society.
Earl's Court may not be quite the West End, but certainly since the sixties
it has been characterised by a lively night life.
Pubs, clubs, restaurants and take-aways and late-night shopping.
"OK," say the Residents Association Wrecking Crew, "That's four categories to demolish!"
PUBS
The KING'S HEAD (pictured above), together with THE PRINCE OF TECK, is at the centre
of the antipodean night-life that makes our patch of London the lively place it is.
What better targets, then, for the anti-life brigade?
Weapons of choice? The Licensing Sessions.
The King's Head had to install a ridiculous sound-proofing arrangement.
The Prince of Teck had to put up stern warning notices about drinking on the pavement.
Further down Earl's Court Road, the COURTFIELD and the BLACKBIRD have to put men on the door
to vet admission. "Couples only, unless you're a regular" - that kind of thing.
CLUBS
Has anyone noticed that CLUB RICHMOND, a popular Earl's Court night club,
has recently been under surveillance? Men in parked cars have been spotted
in nearby Child's Place, often armed with clipboards, sometimes pretending to read a newspaper,
clocking comings and goings from around 11pm at weekends.
On June 4th and 11th, a blue, R-registration, saloon was spotted.
On the nights of 25th and 26th, so a visitor to this site informs us, there was a red, G-registration, saloon.
The occupants do not look like Police.
Could they be Phelps's cohorts from the Town Hall on a spot of overtime?
With a view to gathering 'evidence' against CLUB RICHMOND'S licence?
CLUB RICHMOND'S proprietors have been informed of the full registration numbers,
and are keeping abreast of developments.
RESTAURANTS AND TAKE-AWAYS
Every licensing session brings its dogfights about individual establishments.
BURGER KING and McDONALD'S, for example, have to close unnaturally early
for the kind of area certain people would like Earl's Court not to be.
These people's favourite hate, however, is the two adjacent KEBAB houses
in Earl's Court Road - FIRST CHOICE and particularly the MEDITERRANEAN, which was at one time
obliged to screen off the restaurant proper from the gaze of passers-by
who did not already know of its existence!
LATE-NIGHT SHOPPING
There has been some mention of late in the press (particularly the Evening Standard)
that our society is becoming a twenty-four hour society.
This may or may not be a good thing, but it seems here to stay,
and you know and I know that Earl's Court got there first.
There has been late-night, indeed all-night, food shopping in Earl's Court
for at least twenty years. Long may it continue, I hear you say.
Well, not all of you. You've guessed it - the Blue Meanies!
For a couple of months earlier this year, they succeeded in making BESTWAYS and HART'S
close at midnight.
How? Officious enforcement of Night Cafe Licence legislation.
If you or anyone you know feel your style has been unfairly cramped, then...
