Owners of a Hamilton cafe-bar have hit back at a Mid-Ocean News column which accused the establishment of being a paradise for "rum-dums".

Lee Uddin, joint owner of the Lemon Tree, Queen's Street, is adamant that his bar, the destination of choice for the outdoor drinker this summer, is not a haven for tramps picking up dregs from half-finished plastic cups.

"This is just a load of rubbish," said Mr. Uddin in response to Sharleen Wilson-Carr's column in last week's Mid-Ocean News.

Ms Wilson-Carr wrote in her `Wild Thyme' column last Friday: "The rum-dums were out in force (at the Lemon Tree) on this evening .... Christmas now comes every Friday night for them. All those plastic cups left on tables with remnants of white wine or beer, ooh how delicious!"

"She basically says that tramps are going around taking what is left in plastic cups, but everyone who drinks here knows that we only use glasses. It makes you wonder if she even came here.

"We pride ourselves on running a friendly establishment and the picture that is being portrayed of a place full of `rum-dums' could not be further from the truth.

"We have become fashionable for this summer and we have become popular through word of mouth."

The Lemon Tree backs onto Par-La-Ville Park and the owners of the bar take control after it shuts to the public at 8pm.

The watering hole is open on Wednesday and Friday evenings through the summer and the management maintain that they do not have any undesirables on the premises.

"Once the pub shuts we are in control of the park," said London-born Mr. Uddin, who has been on the Island for 22 years and opened the bar in January last year with well-known chef Jean-Claude Garzia.

"There is one way in and one way out - and we are in charge. If we see anyone who shouldn't be inside we will politely ask them to leave.

"I can only remember one occasion where this happened with this sort of problem."

And the enigmatic Mr. Garzia is even more enthusiastic in the bar's `no rum-dum' policy.

"We have no bums here," said Mr. Garzia.

"We would never allow it. It is not that kind of place. This is a wonderful friendly place we would not let anything spoil that. We have breathed new life into Queen Street and I would like to thank the Corporation of Hamilton for letting us have this opportunity.

"We have worked very closely with them and the partnership is working well."

He added that cleaning staff would stay out "until 1.30 a.m. sometimes" to ensure that the park is spotless after each night it is open.