Town pubs should be encouraged to prosper
In the space of a few short years South Town has lost six pubs - The George, The Great Western, The Stoneleigh, The Raneleigh, The Queens Head, and The Leopard. Shops have closed, such as those in Clemens Street, so all we need is a heavy handed approach from the council. I can’t see how red paint has devalued the property particularly if it was based on an ‘East Enders’ theme.
I am being told that the latest direction by the council is for the pub to remove the external lights - strange, the pub formerly known as The Guards had external lights for decades, retrospective planning laws I guess. So come on you men in grey suits at the council, show some common sense or we’ll end up with another eyesore like the former Stoneleigh Arms. - Tom Lewin, via email.