London butcher feels 'persecuted' as residents complain over smell from burger stand

The owner of a north London butchers shop says he feels “persecuted” after residents submitted complaints about the smell of his burger stand, leading to increased scrutiny over street tables.

James Widdowson opened Harley’s Butchery and Rotisserie in leafy Hampstead last summer, styling it as a “traditional English butcher shop with a Basque twist”. The shop supplies a mix of specialist poultry and red meat, such as venison wrapped in spinach, alongside hot roasted chicken and smash burgers.

But this has not whetted everyone’s appetite. Complaints from neighbours about noise and the “dreadful and far-reaching” smell emanating from the shop’s burger stand have seen one local councillor urge Harley’s to “get its act together”.

The butchers sought permission from Camden Council to serve alcohol on the premises, as well as extending off-sale hours to between 9am and 9.30pm every day. The bid drew objections from Hampstead Town Councillor Stephen Stark (Conservative) at a licensing hearing last month, citing late-night noise, anti-social behaviour, and the “open barbecue”.

Speaking to press, Cllr Stark said residents in Oriel Place, including a gym above the shop, were being disturbed by whiffs of the hot fat cooking. He added that the stand was also a public safety issue.

The burger stand has attracted complaints from neighbours

LDRS

Though acknowledging the “barbecue” is technically an electric hot plate grill with no open flames or coal, Cllr Stark said there was “no way of telling if it’s hot or cold”.

“It’s left open to the public. Small children are running around there, and anyone could touch it and scald themselves,” he claimed.

Cllr Stark urged the licensing panel to reject any licence changes until the “foul smell” was dealt with. He added that a sick elderly woman and her husband were “suffering” from the wafting odour entering their windows left open during the summer heatwaves.

The councillor added that the butchery should have a doorman like the pub opposite to stop customers potentially taking booze into a nearby park. However, aside from Cllr Stark’s, the council received no formal objections.

Mr Widdowson says he takes child safety seriously and had installed a series of safety measures to the stand, including a heatproof barrier, a danger warning sign, a rubber floor mat, a sneeze guard, pest-proofing and internal brickwork wiring.

He added that the scrutiny of his business had taken a serious emotional and financial toll. “We’re under the magnifying glass,” Mr Widdowson said. “When I come to the shop now, I’m full of anxiety because I’m thinking: ‘What’s going to happen now?’”

According to Mr Widdowson, on the day of the hearing he was told by officers he had to clear street tables and chairs from the pavement, following complaints, because his separate licence for this was yet to be approved. The owner said this had cost him £20,000 in revenue so far, forcing him to lay off several part-time workers. “It was devastating,” he said.

“I didn’t think opening a new business was going to be as tough as it has been. At the time, part of me thought maybe it is just too much. But this is my passion.”

Mr Widdowson, who grew up in Hampstead, feels there is an “agenda to remove any activity in Hampstead that doesn’t suit a certain way”.

He said: “I’ve been on a steep learning curve of hospitality, and it’s been fantastic. But I also feel like people who could have supported my business going forward have worked against it. It does not feel constructive.”

The council ultimately chose to back the butcher’s request for on-sale and off-sale booze, clarifying that complaints over the burger’s smell were not a licensing matter. Harley’s now waits to see if the council will grant its pavement licence. The deadline for public representations over this is Wednesday, October 7.