Save The George From The Fate Of The Joiners
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I just received a Facebook invite to a 'Save the George' group from one of my friend's who live in Dalston. I've been to the George several times and it's a really nice pub. The problem is, local residents are complaining about the noise at the weekend and are trying to have its late-license revoked. It would be a real shame to lose this pub as as well as being frequented by the local trendies it is family friendly and has a really authentic, pleasant atmosphere.
It's an all too depressing occurance in East London. For instance, over the last two years, I have seen the Joiners Arms once a seat of such free-wheeling debauchery turn into the gay equivalent of a Yates' wine bar. It happened so impercetibly, first it started closing earlier from 5 to 3,then the bouncers arrived, then the regimented queue and after a year finally there's a door charge after 12 and £4 pints. You can't even go outside to smoke in the street anymore and have to shuffle into a cramped yard out back.
The obvious explanation for the plight of the George and the reason why the Joiner's got all boring was because of the popularity of the area. As Shoreditch got more popular, more people began to go to the legendary Joiners. (I guess when something is legendary it is already over) It was open late, it was easy to buy drugs and there was lax security and it attracted an unconventional crowd: what's there not to love. I'm not sure about the George but I assume it was a similar situation. As one of the most authentic and charming pubs in Dalston, the George too must have suffered an new influx of customers as the area became more popular.
But you can't just blame the fate of these two pubs that they got a bit busier. I think the real culprits were the people who flocked to the area attracted by the bright lights and noise but who weren't actually willing to live with bright lights and noise. It's pure venality; the new developmemnts crawling up Hackney Road are a direct result of the area being made popular by such pubs like the Joiners. Once the residents have complained to the point Joiners is forced to shut down or become mediocre, will any one really want to live in that area. Will there be any reason to go to Hackney Road? Same with Dalston, if the George is forced to shut, to be replaced by what, another developments, one of the biggest draws to the pub is lost. And ironically, the house prices these Nimbys are trying to safe guard will crash,
Luckily not all new-reesidents are so disrespectful to a the history of an area. As witnessed by the group to save the George, residents understand the importantce of maintaining the character of an area - of the very thing that attracted them to live there. To quote the letter of a resident writing to protest against the proposed license change:
"I am sure that the same people who complained about the Price (Sic) George would be the first ones to complain if the pub were to be closed down and turned into yet another block of flats."
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