London slaps restrictions on Guy Ritchie's pub

Residents of Mayfair district have hit out at British filmmaker Guy Ritchie, with the local council slapping restrictions on his pub.

LONDON (AFP) – Residents of London's exclusive Mayfair district have hit out at British filmmaker Guy Ritchie, with the local council slapping restrictions on his pub and the nightly partying by its celebrity punters.

Locals say The Punch Bowl has been transformed into a rowdy party venue since Ritchie, former husband of pop star Madonna, took it over in May 2008.

Since then, crowds of celebrities -- and paparazzi -- have flocked to the pub, with residents complaining of noise, broken glass and people urinating against their houses.

The City of Westminster Council on Thursday imposed conditions on the pub, ordering Ritchie and his co-owners to keep patrons inside after 8pm. Staff also have to make hourly checks outside for glasses and rubbish.

"I don't believe we need to invoke or suspend the licence at this stage; instead we have introduced tighter controls," said councillor Alan Bradley.

Piers Adam, a director of the pub, welcomed the council's decision.

Transformed into the A-list party circuit

"Westminster has shown complete impartiality and now we can move on and be a good asset to the community," he said.

Leo Charalambides, the lawyer representing local residents earlier told a council hearing that regular patrons were members of the "leisure classes" who could afford to "cause a nuisance on seven days of the week."

"It has metamorphosised from a 'olde' local English pub into something that's really internationally recognised on the A-list party circuit and by those who would like to get some of the glamour of going to such a venue."

Representing the pub, Julian Skeen said Ritchie would have liked to be at the council hearing but he was busy working on his new film.

Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" had its world premiere in London this week and opens next week.