Overview
- This week Hounslow Council ordered the removal of tables and chairs from the towpath outside The Bull’s Head, The City Barge and The Bell & Crown after The Bull’s Head sought a licence renewal and officers found no formal pavement permissions.
- After protests and local pressure, the council paused enforcement and agreed to let the seating remain while the three pubs submit and the council processes pavement licence applications.
- Two venues, The Bull’s Head and The Bell & Crown, have already restored riverside seating and The City Barge has not yet lodged its application.
- Hounslow officials say the action stems from a legal duty under the Highways Act to prevent obstructions and protect access for pedestrians, wheelchair users, pushchairs and emergency services.
- Landlords say the furniture has stood for decades without issue and blamed a ‘single complaint’ for triggering the review, a complaint that some locals attributed to Green councillor Rick Rowe, who denies asking for enforcement.