Archbishop seeks to protect nuns from pub noise
-25/08/05
Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has put in an objection to an Oxford pub’s local authority application to extend its opening hours ñ in order to preserve the peace and quiet of a group of nuns at a nearby college.
The owners of the Golden Bull public house in Littlemeore, which is opposite John Henry Newman College and close to the Parish Church of St Mary and St Nicholas, want a license to open between 8am and 2.30am, and to hold live music events until midnight seven days a week.
Sr Mary Dechant, of The Society of the Work, has been leading protests against the proposal. The nuns fear that their routine, the work of academics and the peace and quiet of many visitors will be disrupted by more noise and bad behaviour if the license is granted.
Dr Williams has backed their objections with a letter to Oxford City Council. He points to ìa great danger of increased crime and disorder, public nuisance and decreased public safetyî in the area, and talks of the college and the church as ìplaces of national interest and international heritage due to the very close connection to John Henry Newman.î
Newman was a distinguished theologian and leader of a renewal movement in the Church of England. He eventually joined the Roman Catholic Church and became a cardinal.
However, Oxford licensing officials have written back to the Archbishop to say that his views cannot be considered in reaching the decision about the pub’s application, because he is not a local resident. Dr Williams lives at Lambeth Palace in London.
A hearing is due at Oxford Town Hall today, but the Archbishop is on holiday. He would only have been entitled to attend as an observer. A spokseperson is reported as saying that his letter of objection was sent in a personal rather than an official capacity.
John Henry Newman College houses a famous library visited by thousands of scholars every year.
Archbishop seeks to protect nuns from pub noise
-25/08/05
Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has put in an objection to an Oxford pub’s local authority application to extend its opening hours – in order to preserve the peace and quiet of a group of nuns at a nearby college.
The owners of the Golden Bull public house in Littlemeore, which is opposite John Henry Newman College and close to the Parish Church of St Mary and St Nicholas, want a license to open between 8am and 2.30am, and to hold live music events until midnight seven days a week.
Sr Mary Dechant, of The Society of the Work, has been leading protests against the proposal. The nuns fear that their routine, the work of academics and the peace and quiet of many visitors will be disrupted by more noise and bad behaviour if the license is granted.
Dr Williams has backed their objections with a letter to Oxford City Council. He points to ‘a great danger of increased crime and disorder, public nuisance and decreased public safety’ in the area, and talks of the college and the church as ‘places of national interest and international heritage due to the very close connection to John Henry Newman.’
Newman was a distinguished theologian and leader of a renewal movement in the Church of England. He eventually joined the Roman Catholic Church and became a cardinal.
However, Oxford licensing officials have written back to the Archbishop to say that his views cannot be considered in reaching the decision about the pub’s application, because he is not a local resident. Dr Williams lives at Lambeth Palace in London.
A hearing is due at Oxford Town Hall today, but the Archbishop is on holiday. He would only have been entitled to attend as an observer. A spokseperson is reported as saying that his letter of objection was sent in a personal rather than an official capacity.
John Henry Newman College houses a famous library visited by thousands of scholars every year.