Fundraiser launched to save Berkhamsted pub after complaints lead to legal dispute
A pub in Berkhamsted is asking for its customers’ help to ensure it remains financially viable after legal disputes.
Management at the Rising Sun pub in Berkhamsted have launched a fundraiser to help with legal costs the pub has incurred fighting noise complaints.
Through Freedom of Information requests sent to Dacorum Borough Council, the pub believes the complaints are coming from just one household.
In the fundraiser, which can be read online here, a representative from the pub states that it needs £40,000 to cover crippling debts and legal fees incurred over the past three years.
Pub landlord Mark Granger said: “We need the community’s support to ensure The Riser’s continued survival and vibrancy. By standing together, we can protect our pub and ensure it remains a cherished gathering place for all.”
Staff at the pub are proud of its representation in the esteemed CAMRA Good Beer Guide and note that the pub has existed since 1850. It benefits from a picturesque backdrop overlooking the Grand Union Canal.
People involved with the pub fear it may face further legal action, but Dacorum Borough Council says it has only fulfilled legal obligations in looking into formal complaints.
A spokesperson for the authority said: “We currently have no open investigations in relation to this premises, however, should further complaints be received these will be investigated as required by law. We can also confirm the council’s Licencing Team have been working with the Licence holder to regularise a licence condition on the premises.”
However, decision-makers at the pub believe that disagreements with planning officers over outdoor space and parking regulations could jeopardise the overall future of the pub. Despite assurances from the council, staff at the pub remain concerned with how it has been investigated, claiming the venue was subject to 50 police inspections in just six months.
A further source of frustration for the pub is evidence suggesting the complaints have come from one neighbouring property, the occupants of which only moved into the area around three years ago.
Mark added: “It’s like moving next to a village church and then complaining about the bells.”
In an interview with the BBC, Mark also noted that since the council installed decibel measuring technology at the pub it has not once reached an unacceptable amount of noise levels on the authority’s applications.
At the time of writing nearly 400 contributors have helped the pub to raise over £14,000 via the crowd funder.
A spokesperson for the pub wrote: “The personal toll on our staff and management has been immense, but we remain determined to protect The Riser. We've already invested close to a year’s worth of trading profits into legal counsel, and, on top of continuing to resolve Covid-related debts, we're reaching a point where the financial strain is jeopardising the pub's immediate future.”
According to Dacorum Borough Council the most recent complaint made against the pub was in September and the first formal complaint against the bar, was made in June 2023, a fact disputed by pub management.