Tower Hamlets Council's Licensing Sub Committee has granted a new premises licence for Kong is Kong
at 14 Norton Folgate, London E1 6DB. The decision was made during a meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, following representations from the applicant, the Licensing Authority, and Environmental Protection.
The licence permits the sale of alcohol for both on and off-sales from 8am to 11pm Monday to Saturday, and 8am to 10:30pm on Sundays. The premises will close 30 minutes after the terminal hour for alcohol sales. The establishment, described as a Chinese gastropub with a strong food offering, will have an anticipated capacity of between 180 to 185 people. The menu includes dumplings and noodles at breakfast and lunch, with grills in the evening, and is priced around £35-£45 per head.
Concerns were raised by local objectors, Mr. James McNeil and Ms. Caroline Conaty, regarding potential noise, litter, and disturbance from late-night operations, particularly impacting residents on Folgate Street and guests at the nearby Batty Langley's hotel. To mitigate these concerns, the applicant proposed amended conditions, including limiting the number of patrons in the external area after 9 pm to 10 or 15 individuals and prohibiting glass containers from being taken outside. Patrons permitted to temporarily leave and re-enter the premises on Norton Folgate, for example to smoke or make a phone call, will not be permitted to take glass containers with them and will be limited to 10 or 15 persons after 9 pm.
The applicant's representative, Mr. Alan Thomas, argued that the application was for a replacement of the former Water Poet pub, which had a surrendered licence. He highlighted that the new proposal is for a less intense use
with a greater focus on food and seated service.
Specifically, the bar area where drinks can be bought without waiter/waitress service is restricted to 11.4% of the licensed area, with the remaining 88.6% dedicated to seated space for food service, including the external area. This contrasts with the Water Poet's licence, which permitted unrestricted vertical drinking throughout the premises. The main customer entrance and exit will be on Norton Folgate, away from residential areas.
The committee granted the licence, acknowledging the applicant's arguments that the premises was not a new use, was a less intense use than the previous licence, and was located on the edge of the Brick Lane Cumulative Impact Area (CIA). The CIA is a designated zone where the Licensing Authority believes the concentration of licensed premises is having a cumulative impact on licensing objectives, specifically crime and disorder and public nuisance. The policy creates a rebuttable presumption against granting new licences or significant variations that could add to this impact. 'Kong is Kong' is located on the edge of this CIA, and the applicant argued that their application was not for a new use but a replacement for the former Water Poet pub, thus not adding to the cumulative impact. They also highlighted that the main customer entrance and exit would be on Norton Folgate, which is on the western boundary of the CIA, facilitating dispersal away from residential areas and the CIA.
Mr. Amar Radia, a co-founder of Kong, described the concept as a Chinese gastropub with a strong food offering. The committee imposed conditions, including limiting glass containers outside after 9pm and restricting the number of patrons in external areas after that time. The operating hours for food service align with the alcohol sales hours, with the establishment closing 30 minutes after alcohol sales cease. The committee noted that the applicant's proposed conditions were accepted.
For more details on the licensing process, refer to the Premises License Procedure 2017-18 and Guidance for Licensing Sub. Meeting minutes can be found in the Minutes - Lic Sub Committee - 22 Jan 26, Minutes - Licensing Sub Committee - 05 Feb 2026, and the Public reports pack 24th-Mar-2026 14.00 Licensing Sub Committee. Additional information is available in the Kong is Kong cover report - 24 March 2026 and Kong is Kong Appendices Only - 24 March 2026.
