Amy Lamé speaking in the council chamber on Monday

SADIQ Khan’s ‘night czar’ last night (Monday) hinted that backstage negotiations may soon lead to the famous Black Cap being re-opened.

The LGBT+ venue in Camden High Street has been closed since 2015 but regulars have never given up on their campaign to see the doors open again. This determination, which included vigils in front of the bar, now looks like it could lead to success.

Amy Lamé told a full council meeting: “When it comes to LGBTQ plus venues, I’m really proud that Camden has shown such fortitude in working to get the Black Cap reopened. This is a joint venture that we’ve been doing with Camden and with City Hall and with other partners, and I think we’re closer than we’ve ever been before to getting it reopened.”

She added: “We lost 61 per cent of our LGBTQ plus spaces in the space of a decade and the Black Cap is a gold star when it comes to our community and we will continue to do everything we can to get that space reopened for our community and for our allies.”

Ms Lamé, a former mayoress of Camden who lives locally, was appointed to the £117,000-a-year post by Mr Khan in 2016 and is tasked with protecting London’s world famous night time economy during a tough climate for venues which are in a constant battle to survive.

There have been several false dawns and raised hopes in the campaign to see the Black Cap open again and the ownership of the building has changed, but there is a growing sense among councillors that the final pieces may soon fall into place.

She was speaking at an all member debate inside the council chamber as Camden discussed ways to strike a balance between having thriving pubs and clubs and the concerns of residents about late night disturbances and messy streets.

Camden’s regeneration chief Councillor Danny Beales said: “One of the reasons we haven’t lost the Black Cat for good is its ACV [Asset of Community Value] protection. We’ve worked very hard with the GLA [Greater London Authority] to keep that and get that venue back open. I’m determined to do that and I think we’re very close to doing that with the support of the GLA and the local community.”