The Camden Centre in King’s Cross looks a lot different now

THE Town Hall will collect an annual windfall of more than £400,000 after councillors granted a late licence to event organisers using the council-owned Camden Centre.

Il Bottaccio secured the right to keep the 1,600 capacity venue attached to the main Town Hall building in King’s Cross open until 4am on some weekends, with late finishes also slated throughout the week.

The company had won a contract earlier this year to run the venue, but the deal was dependent on the Camden’s licensing committee granting extended hours.

This was confirmed when a panel gave the green light to the opening times on Thursday – leaving neighbours upset and fearing late night disturbances on their doorstep.

The committee – made up of just two members, Conservative councillor Gio Spinella and Labour councillor Lorna Greenwood – heard from a barrister representing people living nearby who said they feared the application could not be considered fairly.

Charles Streeten, acting for residents of Queen Alexandra Mansions opposite the Centre, told the hearing: “There is a veiled threat that if the hours are not given they will not be able to make good the promises they have made to the council. They are demanding special treatment because the council is the landlord.”

He added: “The council needs to work to its own rules. The venue should be capped at 900, as it has been in the past, and allowed to operate within the framework hours.”

Questioning why more than 60 conditions were added to the application the week before the hearing, he added: “The application was naïve. It asks for the world. Was it because Camden is the landlord, so the normal rules do not count?”

Mr Streeten told the meeting the application was “ambitious” and the late finish would inevitably lead to issues for neighbours.

He added: “No matter how well run these premises are, you have 1,000-plus people leaving in the early hours, creating noise.”

Professor Peter Marsh, who lives opposite, said objectors were now considering avenues to appeal.

He added: “For the hundreds of residents this is a disaster. Police and Environmental Health have imposed conditions, but anyone can imagine what this number of people, wanting taxis, feeling sick, singing, will do to the sleep of residents. “We feel the council has acted as both judge and jury. They were marking their own homework. Surely that is not right.”

The Camden Centre has always had events – acts from blues guitarist Muddy Waters to rappers De La Soul and Oasis singer Liam Gallagher had graced its stage before it closed for a long refurbishment of the site.

Its floor was once considered to have one of the best springs for ballroom dancing, while it was also known for political meetings and the setting for election night drama as the place where local constituency counts were held.

The new permitted opening hours, however, are later than they have been in the past, which triggered the raft of objections. Going forward, Camden will now receive an income as the landlords of the building.

Councillors on the panel said they did not know about the terms of this deal and judged the application on the merits of licensing objectives.

The Camden Centre being used as a count venue during the Brexit referendum

Il Bottaccio’s website shows a catalogue of upmarket events with clients ranging from the Royal Family, an American President, and brands Armani, Gucci, Sony, Apple and Chanel.

In its application, they said: “With its rich history, captivating architecture and modern amenities, the venue stands as an exceptional setting for diverse events. Its versatility and design make it a sought after destination.”

Il Bottaccio’s barrister James Rankin said they had won the tender out of 100 firms, and blamed objections on the centre being poorly managed in the past. He told the committee that a £20 million redesign with new exits and triple glazed windows should be reassuring.

Il Bottaccio director Emilie Edberg told the New Journal: “This approval empowers us to enhance the venue, elevating it into a state-of-the-art space for years to come. Importantly, the licence reflects that the Centre is not designated as a late-night music venue, with late-night entertainment permitted for only 24 days annually and for no more than 1,200 people

“Our vision remains to transform the Camden Centre into a premier hub for international conferences, trade shows, exhibitions, gala dinners, product launches and community events.”

A Camden Council spokesperson said: “We will monitor the venue to ensure they operate correctly.”

Committee chairman Cllr Spinella told the New Journal he and Cllr Greenwood had sought legal advice and were told there was no conflict of interest. He said: “We judged the application solely on the basis of the licensing objective and we evaluated it in its own right.

“We were not aware of any contractual relationship between the applicant and Camden. Questions were raised during the meeting and we took legal advice.”