Simon Burton outside the Camden Centre

A HIGH-END events company moving into new offices in Camden’s Town Hall building in King’s Cross says it needs permission to stay open for 24 hours a day.

Il Bottaccio has already secured a late licence for its new management of the refurbished hall known for decades as the Camden Centre, despite a flood of objections from near neighbours.

And now it wants round-the-clock access to new offices it is moving into on the first and second floors of the council building.

Camden Council had always said that the refurbishment of its HQ would mean keeping hold of the civic floor, wedding suites and council chamber but other space would be let out to private interests.

The company, which advertises itself as a high-end party organiser with a glitzy client list that includes the US president, the Royal family and Chelsea FC, has organised events that have taken place on the basement and ground floors.

It said it wanted to allow workers to buy a drink until midnight at weekends and that the global nature of work and different time zones dictated the need for constant access. Residents in Queen Alexandra Mansions, the block opposite consisting of 180 homes dati

ng from 1904, said they feared more disturbance and that there was no need to apply for an alcohol licence for a co-working space.

Daphne Davies, who lives opposite, said: “We think it is outrageous. It would mean people coming and going all day and night. We are hoping it will have plenty of conditions put on it if it is passed. It feels like they just haven’t taken any notice of us, and haven’t listened to our previous objections to their plans for the ground floor and basement.”

She said residents hoped licensing officers would hold a licensing hearing so the pros and cons can be fully debated.

Ms Davies added: “We know they are just not concerned about our homes and lives but this needs to be discussed in public.”

Her views were echoed by Simon Burton, who is a director of the freehold company that owns Queen Alexandra mansions, where he also lives.

He said: “The licence application means it is more than a work space. It says that clearly. It is opening up the floors for events. It talks about performances – dance, live and recorded music. It reads like they are taking over the office space.

“The original planning permission for the centre was to offer the upper floors for offices for small local businesses. Why would a small business want an office that is used for music, dancing and selling alcohol? What they want, surely, is peace and quiet and maybe a café to buy a coffee.”

A spokesperson for Il Bottaccio said that while the desks would be available late at night, alcohol sales would be limited to pub opening hours.

They said: “We understand and appreciate the concerns voiced by the QAM resident community regarding the impact a 24-hour operation might have on the neighbourhood.

“Whilst offering 24-hour access is a common feature in most office buildings designed to facilitate global work across different time zones – a practice well exemplified within the borough – it’s important to clarify that licensable activities at our premises will be strictly confined to framework hours and reserved exclusively for co-working members and private bookings.”

They added: “Our goal has been to transparently share the extensive and thoughtful management plans we’re putting in place. These plans are meticulously designed to ensure our operations introduce little to no disruption to our neighbours.”