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The Picture Palace was situated at Howard Hall on Lincoln Road, This pub began life as in 1913 as a cinema named the Ponders End Picture Palace. Within a couple of years it had changed its name to the Ponders End Electric Theatre. The name was changed again to the Plaza Cinema in 1938. It closed when WW2 broke, andnever re-opened. Later on it was converted into a dance hall, then the Howard's Hall community centre, closing in the mid-1990s. Between 20001 and 2016 was a Wetherspoons, featuring in the Good Beer Guide for many years. Hawthorn Leisure took over in 2016.

Source: Movement80

This is one of the more odd cases of planning enforcement that is referred to in this edition’s Introduction column. The Picture Palace in Ponders End originally opened as a cinema in 1913 and was a Wetherspoon’s from 2001 until 2016, when it was sold as part of a package to Hawthorn Leisure. Its interior still retains some precious features from its days as a cinema. It closed earlier this year, leaving the area with only one other pub. It is now being converted into a restaurant. As explained in the Introduction, this requires planning permission. The fact that the Council happens to be the freehold owner does not change that. Instead the Council has however issued a Certificate of Lawful Development to cover what has happened. The local CAMRA branch, Enfield & Barnet, lodged a first stage complaint about this but this was rejected because the Council maintain that their ownership has no bearing on planning or enforcement functions. That somewhat misses the point. The complaint is being pursued.

London Drinker magazine, October/November 2023

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