Benches return outside Duke of St Albans pub in Highgate

Customers were once again sitting outside the Duke of St Albans, in Swain's Lane on Tuesday (May 14), after officials at Camden Council gave the green light.

Owner Grace Land applied for a pavement licence after a complaint prompted the council to order the immediate removal of its outdoor furniture and planters on April 30.

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New conditions stipulate it can have four tables and eight benches outside from 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 9pm on Sunday.

Assistant manager Rory Duncan said the 10pm time was "fine" as that is what the watering hole had been doing since opening on April 9.

Four tables and eight benches are back at the Duke of Albans until 10pm Monday to Saturday and 9pm on Sundays (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

"It's good, it's nice to have them back, it's what we wanted," he said. "We wanted to do everything properly and not upset anyone."

Daniel Outram, who leads the Swain's Lane Community Facebook page, started a poll to have outdoor seating put back.

He said: "The vast majority of our community is delighted to see the tables and benches coming back out again, and we're grateful to the licensing officer for approving them.

"Often planning departments only hear from objectors, so it's been great that so many people in our community spoke up in support this time. 

"If the people thinking 'Yes' stay quiet, the decision makers get a skewed view of local sentiment. So we should all shout YES louder, and more often!"

Clockwise from left: Chris Danielson, Ian McLaren and Billy Farrington outside the Duke of St Albans now tables and benches are returned (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

Drinkers agreed. Ian McLaren, an independent strategy consultant who had walked over from South End Green, said: "We're not restricting anybody's transport around here so why wouldn't you have seats outside? If people want to sit here they should be allowed to. If they don't, they won't come."

Father-of-two Chris Danielson, who lives in Highgate Newtown, said: "Due to my sciatica I was unable to spend any time with the locals and build my self esteem by getting a better social network.

"Now that the seats are back I've found that I've made a lot of friends and I'm feeling much better, particularly in my mental health."

Michael Hollis, who lives in St Albans Road, said he had "no problem with the benches at all".

He added: "There's plenty of room on the pavement for a variety of wheelchairs, mobility scooters and prams."