Waltham Forest Council’s licensing sub-committee has imposed eight conditions on The Castle, a pub in Walthamstow Village, including a requirement that anyone under 18 be accompanied by an adult at all times and must have left the premises by 9pm, the committee decided at a hearing on Tuesday 3 November 2026. The review followed complaints from nearby residents who alleged children associated with the pub had been trespassing in gardens and damaging cars, conduct they said had affected their mental health.
The licensing hearing on 3 November, held by Waltham Forest Council’s Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee, considered 144 written comments submitted in advance, council documents show. More than half of those comments expressed support for the pub, with contributors describing The Castle as a community asset, the papers said.
The committee imposed eight new conditions on the premises licence for The Castle, at 15 Grosvenor Rise East, Walthamstow, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Among the measures, the committee required that children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times and must have left the premises by 9pm. Management was ordered to keep a detailed record of complaints and to provide residents with a dedicated phone number, the committee added.
In addition, the sub-committee required the pub to maintain an outdoor management plan covering what it described as noise, obstruction, nuisance, unsafe behaviour, complaints and staffing. The committee also ordered signs and removable barriers to be installed in outside areas. The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported these details; the formal decision notice and the full wording of the conditions should be checked against the council’s licensing register for confirmation.
Campaigners who brought concerns to the review had sought a stricter set of controls, including a ban on people standing and drinking outside and the deployment of a door supervisor at weekends, but the committee rejected those specific requests, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. The sub-committee therefore adopted a package of conditions intended to balance residents’ concerns with the pub’s ongoing operation.
The Castle has stood on its site for 168 years and describes itself as a traditional pub in the heart of Walthamstow Village, serving food until 9pm and drinks until 11pm, its publicity says. The owner, Adam Phillips, said he welcomed the committee’s decision and recognised the importance of neighbours’ concerns, and he linked the pub’s popularity with families to pedestrianisation outside the building under the Mini Holland scheme.
Residents behind the review stressed to the committee that they were not seeking the loss of the landlord’s licence but wanted reasonable measures to address behaviour they said was affecting their quality of life. Those complaints were presented at the hearing as allegations and were examined by the sub-committee as part of its licensing duties, the council said.
The licensing sub-committee is responsible for considering whether action is necessary to promote the licensing objectives set out in the Licensing Act 2003, including prevention of public nuisance and protection of children from harm, the council said. The committee’s decision on 3 November 2026 amended the conditions under which The Castle may operate, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Local people and the pub’s regulars offered contrasting views in the papers lodged for the hearing, reflecting a tension between those who see the pub as a valued community venue and those who say nearby residents have been disturbed by behaviour on and around the premises. The council documents show both streams of representation were considered by the sub-committee before it reached its decision.
Those seeking the precise legal wording of the new conditions or information on any right of appeal should consult the council’s licensing register and the formal decision notice, the council advised. The sub-committee’s measures are intended to manage outdoor spaces and young people on site while allowing the pub to continue trading under the amended conditions imposed at the review.
