Camden’s Town Hall building in King’s Cross

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COUNCIL offices which once buzzed only with the quiet hum of hard working civil servants can now be used to host events and serve alcohol after a licensing green light.

The upper floors of the Town Hall building in Judd Street are being given a comprehensive new look by events firm Eventhia – also known as Bottaccio – and were handed the all-clear for plans by councillors on Thursday night. While Camden will still run the civic floor, including the mayor’s parlour and refurbished council chamber, and wedding suites downstairs, the company has moved in with a co-working space upstairs. It is also now running the connected hall previously known as the Camden Centre.

Neighbours had launched fierce objections to the changes which they say alters the nature of the building they live next door to.

Licensing committee members applied 72 conditions on the new operation, including a ban on drinking on roof terraces and a strict members-only policy with rules over when visitors can enter after signing up. Visitors will also be shepherded out of an exit on Euston Road after 9pm.
More than 140 groups and individuals had objected to the scheme.

Tavistock Place resident Diana Scarrot told the meeting: “The original proposal for the renovated Town Hall – to become a place for co-working, local start-ups, people from outside London needing desk space in London – made a lot of sense to me. But what is now proposed, an events venue with late-night drinking, increased taxi traffic, almost certainly increased drug dealing in surrounding streets, is going to have a big impact.”

She said there should be “a thorough audit of Camden’s relationship with this firm, how it came about, what was promised, and how the applicants have behaved in their dealings with the community”.

Her views were echoed afterwards by Queen Alexandra Mansions resident Simon Burton, who said: “We felt that our representations, those of our councillors and those on the panel, had won the argument against any further licence, but as we suspected all along we would lose.

However there is some positive feeling that the enhanced conditions will go some way to reducing the nuisance. We will be vigilant.”

The Bloomsbury Residents Action Group also said it was disappointed with the outcome and would be watching carefully. Its chair Debbie Radcliffe said: “It is clear that Eventhia has no real understanding of the community on which they are foisting their “Bottaccio” brand. Residents remain sceptical of how this fantasy co-working office space – with wining and dining and multiple bars – will work in practice.”

She added: “We have been assured that any failure to comply with any of the conditions, on request by a resident, can lead to a review of the licence. The fact that so many conditions have been imposed on the application speaks volumes about the suitability. Why on earth was it allowed in the first place?”

The firm say it has worked on parties for Donald Trump, the Royal Family, Chelsea Football Club and Formula One, and added it has venues in Madrid, Milan, Florence, Rome and now London.

Eventhia director Emilie Edberg said: “We are pleased with the committee’s decision to grant the licence.
“We look forward to working with the community and making meaningful contributions to the cultural and economic development of King’s Cross.”