‘Traditional pubs are vanishing’

Brian Kirton, the chairman of the Richmond and Hounslow branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) spoke out following a report which showed that of the 380 pubs that closed in London last year, 12 per cent were in the outer boroughs.

Over the last few years Richmond upon Thames has seen several pubs closed, many of them sold off for large sums of money to housing developers.

In the vast majority of cases it is the smaller community pubs, those that cater to a local, often older, clientele which are disappearing.

Mr Kirton said: "This is terrible news for everyone who likes a good pub. Although there are a number of new licensed premises opening in our area, these are mostly large establishments aimed at the youth market or more like restaurants than traditional pubs.

"Variety and choice in this area is being eroded. The local branch is most concerned because the losses are biased towards local neighbourhood pubs like the White Hart at Hampton, which has applied for planning permission to be turned into luxury flats.

"These are the sort of pubs that are often responsible for keeping a sense of local community. We cannot underestimate their importance to society."

Hampton residents are currently to fight a planning application to turn the popular White Hart pub, High Street, into a housing development.

The council's planning committee have suspended judgement on the case, waiting for more proof that current landlords have made efforts to sell the venue as a going concern.

The Fox and Goose, on Petersham Road and the Jolly Gardeners Pub in Hampton were given planning permission for similar conversions earlier this year.

The Queens Arms in Princes Road, East Sheen, was converted into houses in 1994 at the same time as the Duke of Wellington, Wellington Road, Hampton was turned into flats.

A council spokesman said: "It is worth noting that council policy does try to resist the loss of entertainment facilities including pubs."