Camden Council allows extended hours for ‘destination’ basement bar

Camden Council has granted permission for owners of a restaurant in Charlotte Street to serve alcohol at a “speakeasy” bar into the early morning hours on weekends and some weekdays, despite objections from local residents.

Mid Hospitality Ltd which runs Kinkally, a “small-plates”, Georgian-inspired eatery, asked the council to extend its closing hours so that it can sell booze to drink on the premises until 1:30am the following morning on Friday and Saturdays, and 1am the following morning on Wednesdays and Thursdays; and to serve “late night refreshment” until 2am the following morning on Fridays and Saturdays.

The owners want to cater to more drinkers in the restaurant’s basement, called “Bar Kinky”, and aspire to create a “destination” bar.

But the Colville and Crabtree Residents’ Association told the licensing panel that the licence variation would be a “slippery slope” towards an area stuffed with “late night revellers” — making it feel more akin to a “nightclub zone” — and it will become a “magnet” for people already out drinking.

The Charlotte Street Association residents’ group echoed this “great concern” saying the late hours will disturb the “stable residential community”.

The applicants insisted the changes would not affect guests’ behaviour or attract a “noisier” crowd.

They pointed to a lack of complaints during their trial of similar opening hours over the last 18 months, under the borough’s Temporary Events Notice (TEN) policy.

TENs allow premises to hold one-off licensable events, without the need for a premises licence.

The Metropolitan police said it was prepared for the council to grant the application, so long as the bar area had a limited number of customers.

However, residents told the licensing panel that complaints about late night noise outside the restaurant had been submitted to Camden’s noise team and they queried why these were not noted by licensing officers in the council’s records ahead of the hearing.

The applicants’ representative, however, apologised for noise nuisance from customers during a temporary event in February.

After hearing submissions from applicants and residents, the licensing panel of Shah Miah (Labour, St Pancras and Somers Town), Jonathan Simpson MBE (Labour, King’s Cross), and Patricia Leman (Labour, Camden Square) granted the variation of the licence.

Camden Council: Kinkally, 43-45 Charlotte Street, Licensing Panel A, Thursday, 20 March 2025. Agenda. Webcast.

Additional reporting by Linus Rees.

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