Pimlico cafe accused of letting customers urinate in neighbours’ gardens

By Jacob Phillips, Local Democracy Reporter

Angry residents have accused a Central London café of letting customers pee outside their homes, leaving it smelling like a “public toilet”.

Café Society in Pimlico has had to enter mediation with its neighbours over the issue as it tries to gain a new licence, according to a Westminster City council report.

The café has been open for four years and has an area of al fresco dining, but neighbours have complained and said they have asked the council for permission to build a fence to stop people from relieving themselves in their garden.

Complaining to the council about the café, one unnamed neighbour said: “Guests who leave Café Society come to discharge their urine surrounding Riverwalk House, especially at East Side private garden just in front of our balcony.

“Although we requested Westminster council to give consent to build a fence around East Side private garden in order to prevent people from entering to East side private garden, unfortunately, Westminster Council has rejected it.

“Many people still come to discharge urine to East Side private garden and to the wall of our balcony, I saw many people, including women and girls, were discharging urine to East Side private garden. When I go to our balcony in the early morning, the smell is horrible, the same as [a] public toilet.”

The neighbours also complained about the amount of noise and odours coming from the café, especially when drinkers leave in the evening.

They added: “Cigarette smoke from Café Society’s guests flows to our living room through opening windows.

“…..23 people, which is the number of seated persons inside the premises excluding staff, is enough to cause a smoking issue and a noise issue. We can not open our windows.”

The Met Police initially objected to the café having a new license but the forces came to an agreement with the café and withdrew their representation on October 18, 2022.

The cafe has applied to continue operating as a coffee shop. It has asked Westminster City council if it can continue to have a seated area outside.

It also wants to be able to remain open until 10.30pm every day and it wants to continue selling alcoholic drinks.

The future of the café is set to be decided on Thursday, January 12.

Pictured top: Riverwalk House, which also houses Cafe Society (Picture: Google Street View)