Mango Shack restaurant

Published: 29 August, 2013
by DAN CARRIER

A BID for an alcohol licence at a new restaurant under Camden Road rail station is facing opposition from neighbours – but a batch of objections has arrived at the Town Hall too late for consideration.

Owners of the Mango Shack, in Camden Road, hope to serve alcohol in the bar area to diners waiting to be seated. The Town Hall received 46 objections, but they came a day after the closing date for responses.

Mango Shack owner Derick Blake opened the restaurant five months ago. He said: “I am simply asking for a small bar area, holding around 20 people, at the front of the restaurant. Police and council both say they are okay with this. What people do not perhaps understand is that it will not become a bar. It will still be predominantly a restaurant.”

The proprietor of Mango Rooms, in Kentish Town  Road, he has run a restaurant in Camden Town for nearly 20 years.

Mr Blake added that he would like to meet anyone with concerns. He said: “Any previous issue in this area frankly has nothing to do with us.”

Camden Town and Primrose Hill Lib Dem councillor Chris Naylor said the council should reopen the licensing process.

He said: “Residents must have their say about this very unwelcome application to become a bar. It’s a family area – we just don’t need more late-night bars round here.

“We successfully blocked a 2010 application for ‘vertical drinking’ and secured the requirement to only drink with a meal. Not only have they applied in the summer when they’ll get least objections, but also they apparently publicised the wrong deadline.

“This puts the views of 46 households who missed the correct deadline in jeopardy. I’m calling on the council to either include these views or re-run the process so everyone can have their say.”

A council spokeswoman said that, even though the applicant incorrectly advertised the wrong deadline, the objections arrived a day after the real deadline and would not be taken into account. The Town Hall has received 29 representations which will be considered.