Russell Brand’s village pub ‘goes into lockdown’ and is sealed off with security fencing in wake of rape and sexual assault scandal
Russell Brand’s village pub has ‘gone into lockdown’ as it is sealed by security fencing in the wake of his rape and sexual assault scandal.
Locals claim the hessian-coated barriers were put up around the grade-II listed pub this morning, with three security guards outside and as many as six men inside.
Brand bought the Crown Inn in Pishill, near to his plush home in Henley-on-Thames, in December 2021 – where it has been temporarily closed ever since.
It comes after accusations published in The Sunday Times and on Channel 4’s Dispatches saw multiple women accusing him of abusive and predatory behaviour, including rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse, between 2006 and 2013.
‘As we drove past this morning, they were putting up a hessian covering. It was like a sack covering across the front,’ one woman told the Oxford Mail.
Locals claim the hessian-coated barriers were put up around the grade-II listed pub this morning, with three security guards outside and as many as six men inside
Planning permission is needed if you wish to erect a new fence if it is next to a highway used by vehicles and exceeds one metre in height or if part of the site is within the curtilage of a listed building
Brand bought the Crown Inn in Pishill, near to his plush home in Henley-on-Thames, in December 2021 – where it has been temporarily closed ever since. Pictured: Sign in the door of the Crown Inn reading: ‘Pub Temporarily Closed’
It comes after accusations published in The Sunday Times and on Channel 4 ‘s Dispatches saw multiple women accusing him of abusive and predatory behaviour, including rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse, between 2006 and 2013
‘It felt locked down. When we slowed down to look, the man putting it up stopped to look at us.
‘I saw three security men in Hi-Vis behind. There were lots of people inside the building as well – about half a dozen.’
She added: ‘I think because he’s inside, they don’t want any prying eyes.’
The last time Brand applied for planning permission for the pub was in 2022 – when he appealed to change the use of the garage to a recording studio.
Planning permission is needed if you wish to erect a new fence if it is next to a highway used by vehicles and exceeds one metre in height or if part of the site is within the curtilage of a listed building.
The application – submitted by Pablo Diablo’s Legitimate Business Firm, of which he is sole director – was withdrawn in the November of the same year.
The property consultants who aided Brand with this application have confirmed they are not working on any projects for the Crown Inn.
The 15th-Century former coaching inn includes a pub garden, outdoor seating area, car park, detached barn, stable building, two-bed cottage and garage.
The 15th-Century former coaching inn includes a pub garden, outdoor seating area, car park, detached barn, stable building, two-bed cottage and garage
The last time Brand applied for planning permission for the pub was in 2022 – when he appealed to change the use of the garage to a recording studio
The application stated that the pub would remain temporarily closed ‘whilst plans to refurbish the building and formulate the nature of the new establishment are put in place.
‘The intention is to re-open the public house in due course.’
While waiting for it to be re-opened they added that the pub would be: ‘occupied in part by staff working on a freelance basis for the applicant.’
They added: ‘The applicant is under extreme time pressure to start work due to the scheduled launch of a new show on 25th September that will be recorded in the proposed studio.’
Brand launched his daily show Stay Free with Russell Brand on September 28 2022 – just three days after it was said the recording studio would be needed by.
Brand’s pub came under fire shortly after he bought it as rumours spread that he planned to turn it into a vegan diner.
The teetotal comic angered locals – although these claims were refuted by the council.
‘We’ve heard he’s planning to turn the pub into a vegan restaurant. Why would anybody want that?’ one local told The Sun.
Brand’s pub came under fire shortly after he bought it as rumours spread that he planned to turn it into a vegan diner
The teetotal comic angered locals – although these claims were refuted by the council
‘He clearly never had any intention of using the pub as a pub.
‘He doesn’t even drink alcohol. Why buy a pub if you don’t like drink?’
The Metropolitan Police has said it will speak to the media outlets following their investigation, but added that at this time the force has ‘not received any reports in relation’ to the allegations of sexual assault detailed in the article or documentary.
It comes as Banijay UK, which produced Big Brother’s EForum and Big Brother’s Big Mouth in the early 2000s, revealed it had also ‘launched an urgent investigation’ into the alleged behaviour of the 42-year-old comedian who hosted the programmes between 2004 and 2006.
Former staff members who worked on the shows have claimed that Brand got them to ‘act like pimps’ by getting the numbers of women in the audience and passing notes to them from the presenter.
Brand, who has denied all the allegations and insists any relationships were ‘consensual’, was dropped by a charity working to end violence against women in light of the accusations.
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