Hitchin's brilliant Victoria Pub on Ickleford Road has long been renowned as one of the 'jewels in the crown' of our town.

Hospitality has been hard hit over the last 12 months, and like many in Hitchin, we're big fans of the wonderful hostelries and eateries that help make our area what it is today.

Hitchin Nub News has been marvelling at the resilience of people, businesses, shops, restaurants and pubs as our town emerges from three debilitating lockdowns in 13 months.

Pubs are vital to the long-term health of our town, none more so than the outstanding, community-minds Vic.

So it is with some concern that we hear that a member of the public made a complaint - an anonymous complaint no less - against noise coming from the much-loved pub on their opening weekend after lockdown eased earlier this month.

We make no apology for printing the Vic's reponse in full to the complaint against them - in a bid to underline that superb pubs are integral to OUR post-lockdown community.

Read on in full for The Vic's spirited response to the complaint.

.......................

We've received a noise complaint on our OPENING WEEKEND.

As if this job, this life isn't hard enough add a pandemic and being shut for the best part of a year and I'll now be completely honest with you...we very nearly didn't come back.

We didn't want to, financially, physically and mentally tortured by the effects of the past year we, just didn't know if we could.

And I can vouch for many of my hospitality friends that would confirm the same, not just hospitality in fact, many of my independent business owner friends.

But we did, it's taken a lot but we're here and we're so glad we are.

Naturally on opening weekend we wanted to celebrate, we had a DJ in the garden and live music on the Saturday as surprise guests for you all.

We didn't receive one phone call on either night to suggest we were causing a disturbance, quite the opposite in fact, messages of thanks and praise for a fantastic evening.

The music we offer is by no means offensive or abusive, not full of base, hardcore or heavy but melodic and soulful, to be enjoyed by all, the sound of life, the life we have all missed for so long.

I now have to justify our nights, our actions, our procedures because of one anonymous complaint that didn't think to contact us first.

This could of course now have major implications on our live events.

Just two weeks after reopening - really?!!

Is one night worthy of destroying an industry already building itself back up from the foundations, is it worthy of denying musicians and entertainers the opportunity to perform when they have been unnaturally silenced for so long.

I wish the complainant could have visited to see a blissful audience swaying with pure delight in their cold seats, to feel the warmth of the dulcet tones, to feel the energy and the sense of freedom on the horizon.

One person, one person has decided to jeopardise all of this, for everyone.

So I implore you neighbours to support us, don't destroy us.

Support all local independent businesses that have had to dig really deep to open their doors again.

We are a PURPOSE BUILT COMMUNITY PUB, here to serve you and we'd like to continue doing so.

....And breathe and unclench jaw

Vic