The Royal Borough of Greenwich Council has been unsuccessful in its attempt to force a historic pub to remove approximately half of its outdoor seating. The council issued an enforcement notice in March demanding The Trafalgar Tavern reduce its tables, chairs, and umbrellas on the Thames Path, citing complaints about pedestrian access for wheelchair users, pushchairs, and general foot traffic. The Grade II-listed establishment, a favorite of Charles Dickens, had operated the seating under planning permission granted in 2005 for daytime use on a cobbled section known as the ramp and the knuckle.

Frank Dowling, the pub's landlord, appealed the enforcement notice, warning that losses from reduced outdoor capacity would lead to staff redundancies. The Planning Inspectorate ruled on Wednesday to quash the notice, allowing the pub to retain its popular beer garden with views toward Canary Wharf and the Shard. The inspectorate acknowledged the narrow path could be challenging for pedestrians when busy but found in favor of the pub's continued operation subject to certain conditions.

Council officials maintained that their actions were aimed at ensuring balance and easy access for all path users, with a spokesman describing the outcome as positive because it requires the pub to submit future plans for the area's use. The case drew political attention, with Conservative Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake celebrating the decision as fantastic news, while former Housing Secretary Angela Rayner declined to intervene in the dispute occurring in her housing minister's constituency.

The ruling preserves one of London's most acclaimed beer gardens, which features traditional wooden benches on a narrow walkway along the Thames. The Trafalgar Tavern, regularly voted among the nation's top pubs, can continue serving alfresco diners and drinkers on the designated sections of the path, securing both its operational capacity and local employment amid broader challenges facing UK pubs from high business rates and rising National Insurance contributions.

A major fire involving a car transporter carrying nine electric vehicles has forced the complete closure of the M5 motorway in Devon, causing significant traffic disruption during Wednesday morning's rush hour. The blaze erupted at approximately 7am between junctions 28 at Cullompton and 29 near Exeter, prompting emergency services to shut the critical transport artery in both directions. Motorists reported being trapped in standstill traffic for hours, with some forced to cancel or postpone work commitments due to the extensive delays.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the transporter was "fully involved" in fire, with five fire appliances and a water bowser deployed to battle the intense blaze. Photographs and footage from the scene showed thick black smoke billowing from the incident, with fierce orange flames engulfing both the transporter and its electric vehicle cargo. One witness reported hearing explosions during the incident, though authorities have not confirmed the cause of these sounds.

National Highways, Devon and Cornwall Police, and multiple emergency services remain on scene coordinating the response. The closure has resulted in delays of approximately 30 minutes on approaches to the affected stretch of motorway. Authorities have implemented diversion routes, with southbound traffic directed to exit at junction 28 and northbound traffic at junction 29, though police are advising motorists to avoid the area entirely due to significant traffic issues.

National Highways has not provided an estimate for when the M5 will reopen to traffic. The agency advised road users to allow extra journey time and consider rerouting or delaying travel plans. The incident highlights the growing challenges of transporting electric vehicles and the potential fire risks associated with lithium-ion batteries, though the exact cause of this particular fire remains under investigation by authorities.