The Licensing Sub-Committee of Kensington and Chelsea Council met on Thursday 23 April 2026 to consider an application for a premises licence for Callooh Callay, located at 316-318 King's Road. The committee heard arguments from the applicant and residents regarding proposed extended operating hours, ultimately deciding to grant the licence with modified hours and a range of conditions.

Extended Operating Hours for Callooh Callay

The primary focus of the meeting was an application by Rivington Street Hospitality Group Ltd to extend the operating hours of Callooh Callay, a restaurant and bar at 316-318 King's Road¹. The applicant sought to extend trading hours from the current 1 am to 3:30 am on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This proposal was met with significant opposition from local residents and ward councillors, who raised concerns about increased noise, anti-social behaviour, and a potential negative impact on the residential character of the area.

The applicant, represented by Mr. Richard Wynne, argued that the extended hours were primarily to cater to hospitality industry workers finishing late shifts, drawing a parallel to pubs in Grimsby serving fishermen. Mr. Wynne highlighted his 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry and a lifetime achievement award, asserting his ability to manage the venue responsibly. He also pointed to the fact that no noise complaints had been received against the premises in the past year and that Temporary Event Notices² for late-night operations had not resulted in any issues.

Objectors, including Mr. David Kerr, representing the Paultons Square Residents Association, and Mr. Vanni Vecchini, expressed strong concerns that the extended hours would exacerbate existing problems of noise, litter, and potential crime, which they claimed had led residents to hire private security. They argued that the proposed hours were contrary to the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy³, which generally limits licensable activities beyond midnight. Objectors also raised concerns about the potential for the licence to be transferred to less reputable operators in the future.

After extensive discussion and negotiation, the committee decided to grant the licence with modified hours. The premises will be permitted to operate until 2 am from Thursday to Sunday, a compromise between the applicant's request and the residents' concerns. A comprehensive set of conditions was also attached to the licence, addressing issues such as no new customers being admitted after 1 am, no re-admittance after 1 am for existing customers (subject to smoking conditions), and strict management of smoking areas. Other conditions included maintaining CCTV, employing SIA-registered door supervisors, and implementing a litter sweep policy. The committee also agreed to a condition limiting the number of people permitted to smoke outside at any one time to ten.

The committee noted that the applicant's existing pavement licence for tables and chairs on the King's Road frontage is valid until 9 pm, and any future pavement licences would need to be applied for separately. The decision on the exact hours and conditions was made after considering the arguments from all parties and aiming to balance the needs of the business with the concerns of the local residents. The full decision and reasons will be sent to the parties within five working days.