Residents in Bouverie Road have voiced concerns over potential noise disturbances from a new eatery planned for Unit 4, 1 Bouverie Road. The application for a premises licence was considered by Hackney Council's Licensing Sub Committee D on Monday, July 20, 2026.
Applicants Georgia Laheef and Frank Guest, both chefs, proposed operating hours from 12:00 to 19:00 on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and 12:00 to 22:00 on Thursdays and Fridays. They emphasised their intention to run a small eatery focused on daytime dining, with only two evening services per week. The new eatery will serve unpretentious soul food,
with a menu including soups, savoury tarts, and tray bakes for lunch, and a few more plated dishes for dinner. The applicants aim for an accessible price point
by keeping overheads down.
A key condition proposed was that alcohol could only be consumed by seated customers eating a meal. The indoor seating capacity for the eatery is 14 patrons.
However, local residents, including Katie Buchanan and David Offenbach, raised objections citing public nuisance and safety concerns. They pointed to existing noise issues from a nearby brewery, Mackintosh Ales, which is located next door to the proposed eatery. Residents described the noise from Mackintosh Ales as excessive noise
that significantly impacts the quality of life for those of us living nearby,
with one stating, We can no longer have the windows at the front of our home open.
Another resident described the noise as like having a party in your front garden every single night.
Concerns were also raised about the suitability of the premises and the potential for noise to impact residents, some of whom have health conditions exacerbated by noise. Katie Buchanan stated, I have a heart condition and I need to have a lot of sleep.
She also mentioned that her bedroom faces the cobbled yard and the noise is a persistent chronic problem.
To mitigate noise, measures include double glazing on internal windows, clear signage asking customers to leave quietly, and the applicants' commitment to monitoring guest sound levels. The licence does not permit live music or entertainment. Furthermore, a booking system will be used in the evening to stagger customer arrivals and departures, with applicants pledging to be super mindful
of noise and to encourage customers to be super mindful
of the fact that people live across the street.
Following discussions, the committee granted the premises licence with several conditions. These included a restriction on the number of customers using the outside space to 16. The outside space will be used by customers on Wednesdays from 12:00 to 19:30, Thursdays and Fridays from 12:00 to 21:30, and Saturdays from 12:00 to 19:30. The external area will not be used for vertical drinking or congregation. The condition that alcohol could only be consumed by seated customers eating a meal was also upheld.
Further details regarding the meeting and the application can be found in the Public reports pack.
