Westminster City Council's Licensing Sub-Committee (2) has yet to make a decision on a new premises licence application for DILA, located at 27-31 Charlotte Street. The committee heard representations on Thursday, March 19, 2026, but retired to consider the application in private, with a decision expected within five working days. The application, submitted by Fitzrovia Operations Limited, seeks a licence for late-night refreshment and the retail sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises. Proposed hours extend to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and 11:30 pm on other days.
Concerns were raised by Environmental Health, the Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association, and the Charlotte Street Association regarding potential public nuisance and safety issues stemming from the proposed hours and the possibility of vertical drinking
– consuming alcohol while standing. The applicant's representative, Alan Thomas, argued that DILA would operate as a food-led Levantine restaurant and lounge, with alcohol served only to seated customers by waiter service, except for pre-booked events. DILA will offer a food-led, Levantine-inspired neighbourhood restaurant concept. The menu will focus on flatbreads, mezze, small plates, and grilled dishes, with an open-plan kitchen featuring wood-fired grills. A sample menu includes items like 'Spiced Suffolk mutton, yoghurt, mint & pomegranate molasses' for flatbreads, and 'Zhoug-marinated lamb chops' for wood-grilled dishes. The provided meeting information does not include any details about the expected price range for food.
He highlighted that the premises is located in a green hexagon
area on the council's cumulative impact assessment map, indicating a very low level of cumulative impact. This designation means there is very little, if any, cumulative impact at this location.
Key points of discussion included the requested additional 30 minutes for drinking up
time to aid dispersal, which resident associations opposed. The applicant's representative argued that this additional time is to make dispersal easier and prevent patrons from being rushed out after their last drink. The meeting information does not detail a specific strategy for managing customer dispersal during this period beyond the request for the additional time.
The applicant also proposed external seating on a pontoon
scheme on the highway, a matter to be addressed by Highways licensing. The proposed operating hours for this external seating area were a point of contention, with the applicant proposing it be rendered unusable after 11 pm, while resident associations requested it be removed by 10 pm. Model conditions regarding tables and chairs being rendered unusable after 11 pm were agreed. Specific noise mitigation measures for this area are not detailed beyond this general agreement.
The committee also deliberated on whether the premises fell under the Public House/Bar policy (PB1) or Restaurant policy (R&T1), with resident associations disagreeing that the distinction was irrelevant. According to the meeting information, Policy PB1 (Public House/Bar policy) applies to a premises, or part of a premises, where the primary use is the sale or supply of alcohol for consumption on or off the premises. The applicant argued that DILA fell under PB1 rather than R&T1 because the primary use was not solely the sale of alcohol, despite having the 'look and feel' of a restaurant. The resident associations disagreed, arguing that restaurants are recognized as having a lower risk of association with crime and disorder under Policy R&T1.
Concerns about vertical drinking during private events were addressed by the applicant's clarification that events would be pre-booked for small groups of diners, primarily on the first floor, which has a capacity of 60-90 people. An undertaking was given to restrict private events to the first floor only. The capacity of the ground floor of DILA is expected to be approximately 60 persons, excluding external seating.
Model conditions regarding tables and chairs being rendered unusable after 11 pm were agreed. The committee did not announce its decision on the DILA application on the day of the meeting.
Public reports pack 19th-Mar-2026 10.00 Licensing Sub-Committee 2
