Wetherspoon pub set to take up residence in Fulham Broadway

By Ben Lynch, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to turn a former Fulham Tube station ticket office into a new JD Wetherspoon pub are progressing, with an opening date revealed for this summer.

The pub chain was last year given the green light by Hammersmith and Fulham council to move into the empty building, which was most recently used as a food court.

A total of 20 objections, including one from the Labour MP for Chelsea and Fulham and former local ward councillor, Ben Coleman, were filed against the application, raising concerns primarily relating to the potential for increased crime and disorder.

The proposal also received support from a local resident, who wrote the area is in need of more affordable drinking and eating spots.

“We need simple, pub grub, with a pint that’s not a party place, that’s not going to cost north of £30 for two people, and the staffing at JD Wetherspoon’s will exceed the staffing numbers at the three local pubs combined.”

At last year’s licensing meeting, JD Wetherspoon’s legal director and company secretary Nigel Connor agreed to several concessions, including pushing back the sale of alcohol to begin from 9am rather than 8am as requested.

The premises is also to be part of the local Pubwatch scheme and a member of staff is to organise and accommodate meetings with residents at least twice a year.

The final approved opening hours were 8am to midnight Sunday to Thursday and 11pm to 1am Friday to Saturday, with alcohol to be sold 9am to 11.30pm Sunday to Thursday, and 9am to 12.30am Friday and Saturday.

Since then, development work has started on the Fulham Broadway site, and the pub chain has confirmed an opening date is penned in for June 17.

JD Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “We are looking forward to opening our new pub in Fulham. We are confident that it will appeal to a wide range of people and be an asset to the area’s social scene.”

Fulham is not the only London locality set to welcome a new JD Wetherspoon this summer. The company is also expecting to start welcoming punters to its London Bridge premises on Tooley Street, formerly the London Dungeon, in late August.

Pictured top: The former ticket office on Fulham Broadway (Picture: LDRS)