Soho’s historic Windmill theatre applies for new licence with £7million restoration plan

By Julia Gregory, local democracy reporter

The new owners of the historic former lap dancing venue at Soho’s Windmill Theatre say their £7million restoration plan will transform it to “a first class performance venue and cabaret”.

For decades the iconic Windmill neon sign was a landmark in Soho and the venue was immortalised in a film starring Dame Judi Dench as Mrs Henderson who founded the Windmill Girls – nude performers who never moved.

Now new owners Immerse London Limited  plan to run an upmarket cabaret venue, giving the former lap dancing venue a new lease of life with a late-night licence for live music and entertainment offering “a multi sensory experience”.

They plan to transform the venue into an A-list venue  offering “high end dinner shows” with  meals cooked up by  Michelin starred  chef  Tom Sellers.

Customers will have to pre book for their night out and it’s hoped they will “spend a three figure sum per head with a very fine meal,” lawyer Philip Kolvin told  Westminster City Council’s licensing hearing.

Celebrity supporters include actor Andrew Scott, singer Paloma Faith, model Brooklyn Beckham  and fashion writer  Alexa Chung.

The new operators want to extend the licence so they can accommodate 350 people – instead of the 150  currently allowed, but with a reduction in numbers for the last two hours of the night between 3.30am and 5.30am.

Philip Kolvin QC told Westminster City Council’s licensing committee yesterday: “If it’s granted it will mean that this beautiful theatre can operate as such rather than being half empty and having to rely on sex use.”

He said there were new controls to manage people arriving and leaving the theatre, reducing the impact on the area.

The company said it needs the extra capacity because though 150 “may have been sufficient for a lap-dancing venue, which depends for its trade on a small number of high-paying customers, it is completely insufficient for this centrally located London performance venue.”

The building started life as a silent cinema in 1909 but was remodelled by Laura Henderson as a nude revue bar.

Her determination to stay open despite World War Two with the motto “we never closed” was immortalised for cinema. Judi Dench starred in the movie Mrs Henderson Presents.

The new venue will immortalise her with a sit-down lounge  performance area for 100 named Henderson’s.

It later became a performance venue featuring comedians including Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers.

Between 1960 and 1994 it was used as a casino, erotic theatre and cabaret and cinema. Amongst its owners was the “King of Soho” Paul Raymond who ran it in the 1970s until 1986.

It was later run as table dancing and then lap dancing venue until 2018 when Westminster City Council revoked the licence over a breach of a “no touching” rule.

The licensing committee heard there had never been any problems with noise from the venue over many years.

The Soho Society had commented over concerns about the increased capacity.

Mr Kolvin told the hearing there would be ten security staff “peppering”  the nearby streets to ensure people leave quietly and the venue aims to be a good neighbour, clearing up rubbish on the streets.

There will be strict door procedures and a “highly controlled dispersal” he said.

“It has no intention, having spent £7m, of suffering the same fate as its predecessor,” he said.

Councillor Maggie Carman said the venue had a long history of the “objectification of women.” She wanted to know what the new operators planned.

Mr Kolvin said: “My client wants to put on a cabaret show on the stage which will appeal to all ages and genders.