Christmas has come early to the hundreds of happy diners who have ordered expensive lunches and dinners at Scott's in central London, only to be told by waiters at the end of the evening that there will be no charge for their food or drink."
The fly in Scott's soup is local resident Glenys Roberts, a journalist and author who has orchestrated a campaign to keep noise levels down in the restaurant, resulting in delays with Westminster Council signing off the restaurant's trading licence.
This has meant that the luxuriously-refitted Scott's, which opened more than a week ago, has been put in the position of having to honour all its previously booked lunch and dinner reservations, although legally it is unable to charge for anything.
I do feel a little like Father Christmas," said Scott's manager Matthew Robb, who estimates the restaurant has lost more than £350,000 in free meals, drinks and staffing costs since it opened to the public after a long period of closure and refurbishment on Dec 5.
Don't we just love busybodies like Glenys Roberts - especially when it means a free meal (c:=
This is from her biography on the Westminster Conservatives web site:
Glenys Roberts, a top feature writer at the Daily Mail, has been West End Ward councillor since 1999. She has specialised in planning and licensing and during her four years on the Planning Committee helped make groundbreaking decisions upheld at appeal. She has contributed to new policy particularly in the area of noise reduction and the peaceful coexistence of residents and businesses. Opposed to the West End Crossrail route, she helped write residents' and Council petitions for presentation to Parliament. She has played a lead role in security issues surrounding the US Embassy and in preserving the residential West End from anti-social licensing hours. Currently engaged in reviving the cultural life of Soho, she believes economic growth and a crimeless inner city can only be achieved by the return of residents.All I can say is she has a funny way of reviving the cultural life of Soho.
She believes that dedicating a quarter of a square mile to live music venues would reduce noise pollution by keeping the music contained and away from residential areas.
Now that's really big of her ... just how many people could you fit into a quarter of a square mile after the band has set up - taking into consideration the building, bar and toilet facilities etc. ?
DAMN FEW!
