Residents have lodged complaints about noise and nuisance emanating from the restaurant No. Fifty Cheyne, leading to a review of its premises licence. The Kensington and Chelsea Licensing Sub-Committee heard on Thursday, July 30, 2026, that issues cited by applicant Mr. Colin Scagell and other local residents include noise from intoxicated patrons outside the venue, inadequate waste management, and early morning refuse collections.
Mr. Scagell, who moved into Cheyne Row in June 2024, stated that his attempts to resolve these issues amicably with the restaurant's management had been unsuccessful. He proposed a series of conditions to be added to the licence, including restrictions on external noise, waste disposal, and patron dispersal. The proposed conditions include restrictions on external noise and patron dispersal from 21:00 hours until 15 minutes after the premises closes to the public. Specifically, condition 5 states that from 21:00 hours until 15 minutes after the premises closes to the public, a. the duty manager or a member of staff shall be responsible for ensuring that patrons leave the premises and its immediate vicinity quickly and quietly; b. a dedicated member of staff shall continuously monitor the outside area to ensure that customers do not cause disturbance outside the premises.
Additionally, condition 6 proposes that A maximum of 4 persons shall be permitted to smoke outside the premises at any one time from 21:00 until the Premises closes to the public and they shall be directed to smoke on Cheyne Walk only.
Condition 7 states that Patrons of the premises will not be permitted to congregate or linger in Cheyne Row.
Proposed changes to waste management and refuse collection include: Rubbish including bottles or cans shall not be deposited outside the premises at any time.
and Refuse collections shall not take place between 22:00 hours and 09:00 hours the following day and shall be collected from the premises bin store.
Representations in support of the review from other residents, including Mr. Alesandro Ciravegna and Mr. Tom Roberts, corroborated the concerns regarding noise, anti-social behaviour, cooking odours, and waste management. Mr. Roberts specifically highlighted persistent issues with rubbish left on the street, early morning waste collection noise, and deliveries causing pavement obstruction.
Conversely, representations in support of the premises were received from Mr. John Ind and Matthew Taylor, who argued that the grounds for the review were exaggerated and that the establishment is a valuable local amenity. Mr. Ind stated he was unaware of any disturbance traceable to the restaurant, and Matthew Taylor described the management as considerate. These representations stated that the grounds for the review are exaggerated and without merit. Management at the premises are considerate of residents. The premises operate in line with the licensing objectives and have not caused a public nuisance nor has there been any crime and disorder.
Mr. Ind further elaborated, I live in Upper Cheyne Row about 200 metres from Fifty Cheyne and diners leaving and heading towards the Kings road might walk along this street but I am not aware of any disturbance that I could trace to Fifty Cheyne.
The premises licence holder, Toda Leisure Holdings Limited, was represented by Mr. James Anderson, solicitor. Mr. Anderson addressed the committee regarding changes in the Designated Premises Supervisor and corporate structure, confirming that Mr. Iain Smith had been replaced by Maria Vazkaya. He also clarified that Toda Leisure Holdings Limited is part of the Bourne Leisure Group and ultimately controlled by the Bourne family. Mr. Smith, the former DPS, had previously arranged door cover for upcoming events and Friday/Saturday evenings, and proposed placing cards in the restaurant asking guests to leave quietly. The premises licence permits the sale of alcohol from 10:00 to 24:00 Monday to Friday, 11:00 to 24:00 on Saturday, and 12:00 to 23:30 on Sunday. Late-night refreshments are permitted indoors from 23:00 to 00:30 Monday to Saturday, and 23:00 to 24:00 on Sunday. Regulated entertainment for private use is permitted at any time.
The committee considered the proposed modifications to the licence conditions, aiming to promote the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder, public safety, preventing public nuisance, and protecting children from harm. The hearing included submissions from the applicant's legal representative, Ms. Sarah Lefebvre, and questions from the committee members. At the time of writing the report, 17 noise/nuisance complaints had been received in the preceding 24 months, details of which are attached as Appendix E in the Public reports pack.
Further details on the meeting agenda can be found in the Agenda frontsheet.
