The former Ariadne Nektar Bar at 274 Latimer Road closed its doors a couple of years ago, after its licence was withdrawn by Kensington and Chelsea Council. The building was acquired in May 2023 by local developers and property agents Wentworth Andersen.

Since then various internal and external works have been carried out to the property. The building is a 19th century purpose-built public house, on three floors. Earlier this year Wentworth Andersen applied for a premises licence. Following a hearing on August 1st 2024 the Council’s LIcensing Sub-Committee has granted a licence, including a series of conditions on the operation of the new pub.

The pub was called the British Volunteer in a previous incarnation, and is due to re-open as The Volunteer early in 2025.

The StQW Neighbourhood Forum has long supported the case for retaining as a pub this last set of previously licensed premises in the neighbourhood (the Pavilion in Wood Lane being the nearest pub in the wider area). The Forum applied successfully for the property at 274 to be registered as an Asset of Community Value.

We were disappointed that the licence application and proposals from Wentworth Andersen were for a ‘wet-only’ pub with a reduced licensed floor area, removing the first floor dining area. Our greatest fear has been that these owners may open a pub for a few months and then argue that the business is not financially viable. The could pave the way to a planning application for change of use of the property to residential flats or a ‘family house’. This route was attempted by previous applicants at No.274 back in 2012, and has been the fate of many pubs across the country and in the Borough.

At the licence hearing, Wentworth Andersen and their agents and solicitors gave assurances that their pub proposal is is business venture that aims to succeed rather than to fail. They say they will select a suitable management company to run the pub. A kitchen is to be installed in the former cellar/basement (for which no planning application has yet been submitted).

The presence (or absence) of a resident landlord, using the ‘ancillary’ accommodation on the second floor, remains an open question at present. We continue to see the presence of a landlord onsite as important to a well managed pub operation. There is the original second floor flat available for this purpose. To date, both the first and second floors have been fitted out as flats. These are not yet let commercially, as there is no planning permission for C3 residential use other than ancillary to a pub.

The licence conditions are detailed. They include a series of requirements designed to avoid risks of noise and nuisance for neighbours. We welcome the fact that the Sub-Committee chose to add a further condition, requiring the pub to provide a ‘substantial food offer’ alongside serving alcohol. In our written representations to the Council and at the licence hearing, we argued that a pub serving food is much needed in a neighbourhood with little choice of places to eat out. A pub that attracts a regular customer base of local residents and their families we see as being more likely to succeed financially.

For those who wish to see the ‘full reasoned decision’ of the Licensing Sub-Committee and the details of opening hours and conditions under which the pub will be required to operate, these can be read and downloaded below.