Restaurateur gets set for war of the terrace

By Angela Jameson

A south London restaurant is in dispute with a local council which wants to tear up a terrace its officials gave permission for last year.

Joint owner of the Polygon Bar and Grill Stuart Hopson Jones is expecting Lambeth Council workmen to arrive this week to rip up the 20-seat terrace he has spent more than £12,000 installing.

The council says its officials, who no longer work for Lambeth, were wrong to advise Hopson Jones that widening the pavement outside his Clapham Old Town restaurant was acceptable. The work, which was completed by council workmen but paid for by Hopson Jones, contravenes the 1980s Highway Act, it claims.

"I feel we're being victimised. The council admits it made a wrong decision but this would be to make another wrong decision," Hopson Jones said.

Trouble began last summer when a number of residents in the area complained to the council of noise. Despite Hopson Jones agreeing not to use the terrace after 10pm, the problem was not resolved.

"A planning subcommittee in October agreed that the terrace must be dismantled and gave the restaurant the chance to do it itself," said a council spokesperson. Now the three local councillors, two Labour and one Conservative, are determined the terrace must go.

Hopson Jones is now considering legal action against the council.

"We believe the council have mucked up and we are asking them to start again. All I'm waiting for is an opportunity to sit around the table with the councillors and our lawyers to see if we can prevent this from going to litigation," he said.