Pub with a past – both good and bad – could get celebrity reboot
By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter
A once-popular Kensington pub frequented by the likes of Damon Albarn of Blur, singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor and members of the Clash could be about to get a new lease of life.
And in keeping with its celebrity past, it is the partner of Location, Location, Location star Kirstie Allsopp, who is believed to be the new owner applying to reopen its doors.
Wentworth Andersen, a property management firm believed to be connected to Ms Allsopp’s partner, Ben Andersen, told Kensington and Chelsea council it wants to run the Latimer Road site until midnight at weekends, according to a council report.
Councillors will decide whether to approve Wentworth Andersen’s licence on August 1. The site was once home to Ariadne’s Nectar Bar, which closed in August 2020 after having its licence revoked due to a history of noise complaints and non-compliance.
The property developer is also looking to rename the venue The Volunteer and appears to be letting one of his property managers run the venue, analysis of the application and the company’s website show.
If approved the new pub will operate from 10am-11pm Sunday to Wednesday and to midnight on other nights.
Wentworth Andersen has agreed not to open the site until an acoustics report is carried out and a dispersal plan is submitted to the council. But residents aren’t convinced and have lobbied the council to refuse the licensing application or to impose stricter opening conditions.
One resident warned the pub cause “significant noise” and called for the outside forecourt to close by 9pm to stop drunk patrons spilling out onto the street. They also warned the late opening hours could draw gangs to Latimer Road and pose harm to children going to the nearby Westway Sports Facility and Lloyd Williamson School.
They wrote: “These vulnerable groups may find it particularly challenging to navigate through crowded and chaotic street conditions, which can force them onto the road, compromising their safety and escalating the risk of accidents. This lack of safe passage on the road is unacceptable and poses serious safety concerns for the community.”
They added: “Lloyd Williamson Schools has recently opened within a few yards of the proposed pub on Latimer Road.
“We have concerns about the safety of young children walking to and from school, including potential dangers such as broken glass left from the previous night, intoxicated individuals loitering near the school, increased traffic and congestion, noise disturbances during school hours, and exposure to inappropriate behavior and language.”
The application received one letter of support saying the area needed another community asset. It is understood residents want a street warden to patrol the street on weekend evenings.
In 2018, journalist and brother of former prime minister Boris Johnson, Rachel Johnson, and model and actress Amber Anderson launched a campaign to keep the pub open after a raft of noise complaints.
Earlier this year, Mr Andersen angered locals when he put a huge sign on the building with Allsopp’s surname on it. A source close to the Allsopp family told the Daily Mail the sign was put up to advertise a beer brand which was established by Kirstie’s great great grandfather and is now being revived by her cousin Jamie.
According to the outlet, the pub, which was believed to have been built in the 1880’s, was originally called the British Volunteer. Wentworth Andersen has been approached for comment.
Pictured top: The pub on the corner at Latimer Road which could be revived as The Volunteer (Picture: Google Street View)