Nigel Farage defended a pub in Richmond borough after Richmond Council barred it from running a click-and-collect service for breaches of coronavirus rules.

In an extraordinary video, which has been watched more than 175,000 times, the Brexit Party leader attacked the council and police over the enforcement action.

"I've come to the Waterman's Arms, an old, historic venue where, not only have they suffered through lockdown, but they've actually, in the most awful, horrible way, been taken on by the authorities in an attempt to close them down," Mr Farage says.

Council leader Cllr Gareth Roberts hit back. In a press release titled Council sets record straight regarding Barnes pub enforcement action he states: "We have a very different view on what actually happened at The Waterman's Arms and on the events that built up to the moment depicted in a wholly biased interview currently circulating on social media. However, what is made clear in the interview is that the pub's failure to take responsibility is an ongoing issue."

In September the council's licensing sub-committee took measures to limit drinking and rowdy behaviour outside the riverside pub following complaints from locals.

Its licence was then reviewed so that any alcohol the pub sells for takeaway after 8pm has to come in sealed containers. The crowds of people drinking outside the pub led to it being nicknamed the Costa del Barnes.

Enforcement action

Richmond Council said: "The Waterman's Arms in Barnes last week was prevented from continuing to operate a click and collect service after it was considered to be repeatedly flouting the Covid-19 rules – ignoring numerous warnings from the council and local police.

"The latest action followed a series of other enforcement measures taken by the council which were prompted by complaints from residents and which were supported by the police.

"Following numerous visits to the venue, officers found:

• the pub was selling and serving alcohol to customers who were gathering and consuming alcohol immediately opposite the pub. The pub was aware there was a problem but did not stop serving – despite sometimes over 50 people gathering along the riverfront both in the summer and during November lockdown, with no social distancing
• while the pub committed to introducing a time delay of 30 minutes on their online ordering app – people did not disperse and gatherings persisted
• staff were taking little action to encourage customers to move on with their takeaway drinks
• very little (sometimes no) social distancing was in place for queuing to pick up drinks
• A rise in local street urination / littering and anti-social behaviour as a result of intoxicated customers."

Pub's point of view

In an interview for Nigel Farage Investigates, in which neither man is wearing a face mask, pub manager Adam Sandford tells Mr Farage: "I was standing by the door here. A gentleman comes up and asks for a pint of bitter.

"I tell him it all has to be pre-ordered online in advance. He then says his phone is not working and asks if I can do him a favour just this once.

"I tell him again that it has to be pre-ordered. He's quite persistent and I say 'OK, just this once, but in the future it does have to be pre-ordered and taken away'.

"I pour the drink for him, came back and then him and another gentleman are here with their council badges."

He added: "I was a bit shaken up, thought 'I can't believe this has happened'."

Mr Farage then turns to the camera and says: "Gosh. Isn't that unbelievable? Just unbelievable. Haven't they got better things to do than to come and victimise some poor guy like Adam who is clearly trying to do his best in lockdown to keep the place going. I find the whole thing extraordinary."

Timeline of events

In early July the pub was issued with a Community Protection Notice.

Problems persisted and in late July, residents sought a review of the Waterman's premise licence at the council's licensing committee, which found that there were issues of public nuisance and anti-social behaviour and imposed additional conditions on the licence to try and resolve the issues.

Richmond Council said the problems continued to escalate during the second, November lockdown and the management were issued with further warnings on November 10 and 20.

When the pub management refused to take action, they were issued with a Prohibition Notice on November 25, which prevented them from continuing to operate a click and collect service until December 2. The order did not prevent them from operating a delivery service.

Council leader's comment

Cllr Gareth Roberts is the Lib Dem leader of Richmond Council. He said: "The suggestion that the council has acted disproportionately in response to concerns raised about how this particular pub has been operating within the pandemic is outrageous.

"This council is not in the business of punishing pubs, indeed nobody who knows me would ever consider me to be anti-pub. However, the bottom line is this – the regulations are NOT in place to punish pubs. They exist to stop the spread of coronavirus and subsequently SAVE LIVES.

"We have hundreds of pubs across the borough that have worked so hard to follow the rules. And, whilst the impact of the restrictions is clearly financially tough – they are there to stop people getting sick and dying.

"We have always been very clear. We will work with businesses to help them understand the rules. If we hear of infringements – we will discuss them with the businesses and help them to operate within the law. However, if businesses repeatedly fail to follow the letter of the law, putting lives at risk, we will take action.

"We have a very different view on what actually happened at The Waterman's Arms and on the events that built up to the moment depicted in a wholly biased interview currently circulating on social media. However, what is made clear in the interview is that the pub's failure to take responsibility is an ongoing issue – not a singular moment in time."

Action taken by police

Inspector Rebecca Robinson of Richmond Police said: "Richmond Council and the Met's South West licensing team have been working together to engage with The Waterman's Arms in a stepped approach, to ensure the pub is adhering to the current Covid-19 regulations and protecting the safety of the public and its customers.

"Unfortunately, both the police and council have continued to receive complaints from the public and the pub was found in breach of the regulations several times. The Waterman's Arms was visited on November 20 by police and the council at separate times and found to be breaching the regulations again.

"The pub was issued a Prohibition Notice which stopped it from operating a click and collect service prior to today's new regulations.

"This is in addition to a hearing in July which reduced the pub's operating times for sales."

Neighbours on their experiences

Sophie Saeed told Richmond's licensing sub-committee in September of instances of "cat-calling" and said she had been left upset after finding herself "living opposite a beer garden".

She said: "The comments that I have had this summer have been very unpleasant and the idea of my daughter getting older and having to brace herself to leave the house like I have had to isn't something that I can allow."

Another concerned local resident and mother, Daisy Ayliffe, said her children ad walked through puddles of urine left by drinkers in the alleyways.

"One day this summer my little girl came home with vomit on her sandals," she said.

"In a global pandemic this is completely mad, but this is apparently a madness that is being allowed in Richmond."

A further 11 residents also wrote in favour of the pub keeping its current license.

Neighbour Charles Campion said: "When it reopened again I thought with a lot of other people actually that it was incredibly enterprising and a great thing for the local community to have the pub open again providing much needed work for their workers.

"What I saw, I had no problems with. Occasionally you'd hear people enjoying themselves but I live right next to it and people were by and large extremely well behaved, I think it provided a great outlet for people from lockdown."

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