UK: Guinness gets green light for Covent Garden brewery despite complaints from local residents

Guinness has been given the green light for its £73 mln Covent Garden brewery despite complaints that it will fill the streets with vomiting drunks, MyLondon reported on November 25.

Guinness owner Diageo has been given a later alcohol licence by Westminster City Council to let people stay and drink in the 150-person courtyard of the Old Brewer's Yard until 10.30pm or 11pm on weekends.

The council previously gave Guinness licences to set up a brewery, a three-storey restaurant, and a shop. An old nightclub, with space for 350 people, beneath Old Brewer's Yard is also set to become an event space run by Guinness but the drink's giant says it will be mainly for corporate events to help pay the bills.

But Covent Garden residents are scared the streets could be full of drunken "louts being sick" and fear that there will be as much noise as a nightclub. In total, 500 drinkers could be leaving the site at once if an event is on at the underground venue.

But Guinness project manager Tom Johnson said the space will not be for stag and hen dos. He told Westminster's licensing committee: "I feel so strongly that this is a good thing to do and a benefit to the area. I can see why people think of a sport bar or stag dos but if you look at any other of our global destinations that isn't what they do. That is not what they are designed for. Any hint of that and they will be asked to leave."

In total, 27 residents and resident associations have complained about the amount of noise and mess the brewery may bring to Central London. The Met Police also objected to the application as it could lead to more crime and disorder in the area.

But the project has also been backed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The then Chancellor told the Standard: “This multi-million-pound investment is a crucial vote of confidence in our capital.

"Three hundred years after brewing the first beer in Old Brewers Yard, it’s fantastic to see Guinness breathing life into our hospitality and tourism industries and creating more jobs and training opportunities in central London.”

The Guinness brewery is set to create 150 new jobs and provide a community space.

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