The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-07 00:00:00

THE CYDER CELLARS.

The proprietor of the Cyder Cellars tavern, Maiden-
lane, Strand, was one of the applicants for a license for
music only.

Mr. Bodkin supported, Mr. Metcalfe opposed the ap-
plication.

It appeared that the opposition originated with Mr.
Horatio William Hall, describing himself as an attorney-
at-law of St. Martin's-court. In a petition against the
application which he had lodged with the clerk of the
peace, according to the standing orders, he complained
that vocal and instrumental entertainments had been
given at the Cyder Cellars, that establishment not being
licensed ; that songs of an immoral tendency were
sung there, and that the petitioner had brought an action
against the applicant to recover penalties under the act
for having given musical entertaiaments in an unlicensed
place—which action was still pending. Some discussion
took place as to the right of Mr. Metcalfe to be heard
in support of a petition emanating from a person who
had nothing to do either with the house in question or
the locality it was situate in, and who, moreover, was
not present in court, no answer being returned when his
name was called. Mr. Bodkin observed that Mr. Hall
was nothing but a common informer ; he had brought
actions for penalties under this act, and had offered, as
could be proved, to abandon them for money.
Mr. Metcalfe (the chairman having ruled that ho
could be heard) addressed the bench in opposition to the
application. He urged that if the allegations in the pe-
tition were true, the Cyder Cellars was not a place which
the court would grant a licence to. In violation of the
law, and in defiance of the court, musical entertainments
had been given, and it was no reason that the bench,
because a person had brought an action against the ap-
plicant to recover a penalty which the act declared had
been incurred, under the circumstances should grant
him a licence to sanction his proceedings. Mr. Hall
was, he was instructed, an attorney, but his name was
too late for insertion in this year's " Law List." He
had lodged his petition, and he thought that proceeding,
was sufficient, which was the reason that he (Mr. Met-
calfe) was not prepared to prove the allegation in the
petition.

The manager of the Cyder Cellars, in answer to the
chairman, stated that the only " scenic representations"
there were an old coat and hat, &c., occasionally worn
by the comic singer, and the nature of the songs sung
related to the passing events of the day—they had a
comical turn, but were not, he should think, objection-
able. In answer to the question whether indecent
songs were not sung there, he said there were two con-
structions to be put upon that ; it depended upon what
was considered an indecent song. He thought they
were not indecent.
The license was granted.

Mr. Hall was a petitioner against several applications,
and it appeared that he bad brought no less than three
actions against one publican, and had obtained a judg-
ment for 1001.

Great satisfaction was expressed at the free manner
in which the bench granted the licenses on this occasion.
The only condition imposed on the new applicants was,
that they should not make any charge for admission t o
the rooms were the musical entertainment was provided,
and one person met with a refusal becauso he said he
intended to make a charge for admission.