Notting Hill pub 'loved by rock band Queen' in licence battle after resident moans about 'vertical drinking'

A Notting Hill pub said to have been a favourite of British rock band Queen is having its licence reviewed after a resident complained about people standing outside on the pavement with drinks.

The Champion, located close to Hyde Park, was previously known as one of London’s iconic gay pubs.

It is said to have been a favourite with national treasures including band members of both Queen and The Clash.

Now the premises is facing a licence review, after a local resident complained that the pub’s customers were blocking the public highway while drinking outside.

The irritated resident has asked the council to force the venue to ensure any drinking outside is only permitted while seated from plastic containers.

“Patrons regularly congregate outside the premises, generating noise and disturbance for local residents, particularly during evening hours,” he wrote in a council report.

“I have raised these concerns directly with staff on multiple occasions and requested that music volumes be reduced and furniture relocated within the permitted area. Despite these requests, the issues have continued.”

The Champion in Notting Hill

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Mr Steel also alleged that drinking glasses and, on occasion, broken glass, had been found on the mews adjacent to the pub.

“The presence of discarded glassware and broken glass presents a foreseeable risk of injury to children, as are intoxicated individuals blocking the highway. My child has previously come close to direct contact with broken glass in the vicinity of the premises,” he wrote.

In total one person supported the review application and five wrote in support of the premise.

Roberta Licurgo said: “The Champion is more than just a pub—it is a much-loved local institution and one of the few traditional neighbourhood pubs remaining in Notting Hill Gate.

“As the area has changed so dramatically over the years, it has remained a welcoming meeting place for local residents and visitors alike, helping to preserve the character and sense of community that once defined the neighbourhood.”

Alexander Nandris, General Manager at the pub, said that neither of the two flats above the pub had complained about the premise.

He said that staff undertake regular checks of the pavement to ensure there is no glass outside and that customers are not drinking in unlicensed areas.