Licensing update on 34-43 Russell Street (bars at the Amano Hotel)
Licensing update
Amano Hotel bars, 34-43 Russell Street, London WC2B 5HA
August 2021
Amano Hotel at Drury House on the corner of Drury Lane and Russell Street has applied for a Licence for the sale of alcohol and late night refreshment for the basement and rooftop bar. The building was formerly an office building, and work to the convert it into a Hotel has been going on for the last two years.
The application can be seen at this link to Westminster’s licensing portal. The closing date for comments is Thursday 19/08/21.
The hours applied for service in both bars to members of the public are:
| Sunday to Thursday | 12 Noon to Midnight | |
| Friday-Saturday | 12 Noon to 1am |
Both areas are primarily bars, and therefore drink-led; there is no restaurant on the premises. The rooftop terrace open area can only be used until 10.30pm (10pm on Sunday), however, and there are conditions restricting service to seated customers only.
The hotel is in East Covent Garden where there are relatively few licenced premises and has a large number of residents in the vicinity, especially on the opposite side of Drury Lane. The concerns expressed to the CGCA by local residents are connected with nuisance caused by customers who would be arriving at and leaving the premises, especially in the late evening. The CGCA therefore intends, in support of these residents, to ask that the terminal hours for serving members of the public are restricted to Westminster’s Core Hours (Monday – Saturday 11.30pm, Friday – Saturday Midnight, and Sunday 10.30pm). This will mean that it is not a venue people can come to once other premises in the area close.
We are not so concerned about service to people staying in the hotel and their bona fide guests. It is normal for licences to allow service to go on later for these customers. But rather than 24 hour access, we believe that 1am or 2am would be more reasonable.
You will need to form your own view on the application. If you are concerned, either because of the impact in the immediate vicinity or on the wider area, then you need to object by using the “make a comment” button towards the right-hand side near the top of the webpage.
If you have any questions please contact the CGCA’s Licensing Sub-Committee at licensing@coventgarden.org.uk.
