The owners of the Black Cap have lost their challenge of a decision to award protected status to the historic Camden Town gay bar. 

The listing of the venue as an "asset of community value" (ACV) by Camden Council has been upheld following a hearing last week. 

In April the venue was added to a list of properties across the borough that are deemed to be culturally significant, giving it greater protection from redevelopment. 

Days later Faucet Inn – who had run the venue for five years on behalf of owners Kicking Horse Limited – closed the doors without notice and asked the Town Hall to conduct an internal review of the ACV listing process.  

Borough solicitor Andrew Maughan conducted an oral hearing on Tuesday and, in a decision published today, he upheld the original decision to list all five-floors of the venue. 

The Black Cap was nominated for ACV listing by the Camden LGBT Forum. Chair Nigel Harris said it was the first step on the road to reopening the Black Cap and showed that "the community has the ability to beat lawyers that cost thousands of pounds."

Mr Maughan rejected the claims by Faucet Inn and Kicking Horse that, because Camden LGBT Forum was in part funded by Camden Council, the nomination had not be made "under their own initiative" and was "actually by proxy on behalf of the Council". 

Mr Harris said: "That is probably one of the most ridiculous arguments I have heard. The idea that if a local community group gets some funding from the council they are prohibited, is totally bonkers."

Mr Maughan also rejected the owner's claim that the listing should be limited to the basement and ground floor and not extend to the first, second and third floors. 

Faucett Inn and Kicking Horse, who jointly requested the review, have 28 days to appeal the decision.