Neighbour loses bid to get fashionable 150-year-old London pub shut down after transferring in subsequent door and complaining about noise and stay music
A man has lost his bid to close down a popular 150-year-old London pub after he moved in next door and relentlessly complained about the noise.
Axel Guillemot filed several complaints shortly after he moved into the property adjacent to the World’s End pub in Finsbury Park, North London, known for its live music and quiz nights.
Among Mr Guillemot’s complaints were late-night noise, failing to comply with conditions, ‘excessive amplified music’, and crowd noise.
He demanded that Islington Council reviewed the historic pub, adding that he had witnessed antisocial behaviour including cannabis use, shouting and disorder outside the bar.
But 200 other residents and local groups rallied to the pub’s defence.
The council’s 812-page response revealed that Mr Guillemot believed the pub was ‘persistently undermining the licensing objectives’ and caused his partner stress during her pregnancy and subsequently disturbed their baby.
The nightmare neighbour even included witness statements, photos, and correspondences with the council’s noise team in his complaint to the council.
Mr Guillemot wrote: ‘Previous complaints have been submitted to licensing, pollution highways and ASB teams.
The World’s End in Finsbury Park is popular for its live music, sports showings, quiz nights, and American barbecue food
The pub has been allowed to continue operating after 200 residents and local groups backed them in the neighbour row
‘Despite extensive engagement, the issues have continued.’
The Greene King pub is licensed to operate until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, until midnight Sunday to Wednesday, and until 12.30am on Thursdays.
It is popular with locals for its American barbecue food, comedy nights, sports screenings and poker or quiz nights.
The pub states on its website that it hosts live music three times a week, and the venue is available for hire for karaoke, dancing, and private events.
It also boasts that it has been a ‘North London landmark for as long as anyone can remember’ and features stunning architecture inside such as sculptured underground ceilings.
Its popularity was made clear when 200 of its other neighbours and community groups backed it in the battle with Mr Guillemot, taking to social media to share their views, GB News reported.
Luke Irving wrote: ‘A person buys a house with a shared party wall to the World’s End pub. In 2025 they start a campaign to have the pub’s licence revoked due to noise.
‘A 248-page report was needed to confirm that the pub had been there long before them, and it should stay. Insane.’
Journalist Helena Horton said: ‘There should be a ban on complaining about things which were already there.’
The pub said that it was committed to working with the council to address concerns, noting that the pub was a valued part of the community.
In a meeting with Islington’s sub-committee lasting over an hour and a half between a Greene King representative, the council’s noise team, and members of the public, the committee finally ruled that the pub could continue to operate.
But they added that it must review the noise complaints and assess ‘the current sound insulation qualities of the venue.’
It also stipulated that the pub must ‘prepare a scheme of sound insulation and noise control measures’, including a noise-limiting device, and no noise vibrations being allowed outside the premises of the pub.
