This meeting was about the consideration of an application to review the Premises Licence of The Globe pub in Marylebone. The application was made by a local resident, Michael Zelouf, on the grounds that the pub was causing a public nuisance. There were also representations from the Environmental Health Service, the licence holder, and a number of interested parties. The meeting papers describe a history of complaints about The Globe and detail what steps the licence holder was taking to mitigate public nuisance.

The Globe, 43-47 Marylebone Road

The report pack for the meeting contains the application for review made by Michael Zelouf. Mr Zelouf’s application is based on the grounds of the Prevention of Public Nuisance. His statement details numerous complaints he made about the pub. In particular, he claims that patrons socialising in the pub’s forecourt after closing time were causing him noise nuisance. He wrote:

These patrons continue to socialise In the forecourt whereby the constant murmuring and occasional bout of laughter at the exact time I am trying to doze off to sleep.

In his evidence bundle, Mr Zelouf provides numerous examples of correspondence between himself, pub management, the council’s noise team, and local councillors. He claims that despite making over 100 complaints and having received numerous assurances from the pub that they would take action, the nuisance continued. He said:

I have consistently tried to work with the Globe management to resolve this issue, but on 27 March 2024 the new supervisor confirmed have zero powers to move people on once they are in a public space i.e. the forecourt where they place tables and chairs and it's our right to protect our business i.e. they don't really care about the neighbours.

In his statement, Mr Zelouf requests that the licence be amended to require the pub to close at 11pm, and to require the pub to actively clear the forecourt of patrons for 30 minutes after closing.

The report pack also contains a statement from the Environmental Health Service. The report states that while the City Inspection team had responded to each complaint made by Mr Zelouf, “no noise nuisance was detected during their investigations.” The report states that there were seven visits to The Globe in 2024 to investigate noise complaints. Of these, one found some noise nuisance associated with a football match at Wembley Stadium, but the rest found no issues. The report states that they were never granted access to Mr Zelouf’s property to verify his complaints.

The licence holder, Greene King Brewing & Retailing Limited, submitted a statement to the sub-committee. They argue that The Globe is a long-established and well-managed pub in a busy part of London. They acknowledge that Mr Zelouf has been the sole complainant about noise from the pub, and that they have previously worked with him to resolve noise issues relating to deliveries in the mornings. In their statement, they claim that Mr Zelouf is mistaken in assuming that all people outside the pub are patrons. They say:

What he fails to appreciate is that very often their clientele cross the road via the underpass, emerging outside The Premises. There they will often wait for Uber's and black cabs so they can journey west and south or generally say goodbye if some are heading for the busses west or into the West End to the south.

They go on to describe a number of steps that the pub is already taking to manage the dispersal of customers at closing time. They say that they close 15 to 30 minutes earlier on busy nights, have staff on duty to manage the external area, and have security on duty on busy nights. They also say that they have put in place procedures for using plastic glasses and removing furniture from the external area in the hours before closing time.

In their submission, the licence holders also claim that Mr Zelouf is being unreasonable in his demands. They say:

lt is submitted that the interactions between The Applicant, the Premises Licence Holder and council officers suggest a level of sensitivity on the part of The Applicant that go beyond the legitimate expectation of a resident in any environment and particularly in this location.

In their statement, the licence holders request that the sub-committee not impose any further restrictions on the licence. They say that “the reduction in hours suggested by the applicant would have serious financial consequences for the operation of the premises.” However, they propose a number of conditions to address Mr Zelouf’s concerns. These include maintaining a complaints log, ensuring that customers are properly supervised in the external area, drawing up a dispersal policy, and drawing up an external area management plan.

The sub-committee also received statements from four interested parties, all of whom supported Mr Zelouf’s application. One of the statements is from Councillor Paul Swaddle, who claims that “the situation regarding the forecourt is now completely out of control and there is clear lack of any management by the Globe.” Another of the statements is from a resident of Portman Mansions, who claims to have witnessed “countless examples of antisocial behaviour with patrons drinking excessively and fighting, abusing and spewing all kinds of lewd remarks.”

The report pack does not contain a record of what was discussed or decided at the meeting.