FUTURE OF DUTCH HOUSE PUBLIC HOUSE

That this House is concerned about the number of public houses that are being closed to be demolished to make way for housing, or other forms of businesses, against the wishes of the neighbouring communities; welcomes the decision of the Royal Borough of Greenwich to reject the planning application from McDonald's to close the Dutch House Public House and turn it into a drive-through takeaway restaurant; congratulates the residents of the Horn Park estate on their successful campaign to keep the Dutch House open; recognises the importance of the Dutch House, which the local community have had registered as an asset of community value which is frequented by many local people, including groups of people with learning difficulties who have found the pub and its customers to be an extremely safe and welcoming environment; is extremely concerned that McDonald's application will generate an increase in the number of vehicles turning right across the A20 dual carriageway to gain access to the drive-through restaurant; urges the owners to maintain the site as a public house or to find a new owner that will maintain it for that purpose; further calls on McDonald's to accept the view of the local community and to remove their threat to the future of the Dutch House; and further calls on the Government to act to protect public houses from threats of this kind in the future.