Key Points
- The Italian Lounge Ltd is a new applicant that seeks approval from the Westminster City Council for the establishment of an Italian restaurant over three floors at 94 Bishop’s Bridge Road, Bayswater, Central London, trading until 2am all days of the week.
- History Repeats Itself: The proposed premises are situated in a location that once held another restaurant known as Mangia Tutto, whose license was withdrawn in November 2025 due to alcohol breaches at 3:30am, and violent incidents involving the staff towards Metropolitan Police and council officers.
- Metropolitan Police: PC Steve Muldoon, Metropolitan Police officer, raised concerns over the application due to his lack of confidence regarding the prevention of crime and disorder in addition to a link between new and old businesses.
- Community Opposition: The South East Bayswater Residents’ Association and Environmental Health are very much against the application, claiming that extended hours would lead to a nuisance due to noise. This is on account of opening hours which need to adhere to Westminster’s “Core Hours.”
- Proposed Safeguards: The applicant has assured of a table service only system along with a table service alcohol system in the restaurant.
London (Extra London News) September 2, 2026 – Local law enforcement and community groups have launched a fierce opposition campaign against a controversial bid by a new three-floor Italian restaurant in Central London seeking permission to trade and serve alcohol until 2am daily.
Why Are Metropolitan Police Opposing the New Restaurant Proposal?
The planning application, lodged by The Italian Lounge Ltd for a premises located at 94 Bishop’s Bridge Road in Bayswater, has immediately triggered alarms across local regulatory bodies due to the dark history of the site. As reported by Katherine Gray of MyLondon, the three-floor venue occupies the exact location previously run by Mangia Tutto, an establishment whose license was decisively revoked by Westminster City Council in November 2025 following a string of severe regulatory breaches.
Detailing the background of the site, Katherine Gray of MyLondon noted that Metropolitan Police and council inspectors visited the former venue on August 25 of the previous year, discovering patrons actively eating and drinking outside the property at 3:30am—a full three and a half hours past the business’s legal terminal hour. Furthermore, official logs showed that when inspectors stepped inside to identify themselves, an unidentified male staff member turned “hostile,” refusing to supply identification or show the premises licence.
Capitalising on this volatile history, Metropolitan Police officer PC Steve Muldoon lodged a formal written objection against the current application. As reported by Katherine Gray of MyLondon, PC Steve Muldoon stated that:
“This is an application for a venue that has recently been revoked due to persistent condition breaches and trading after the venue’s terminal hour.”
PC Muldoon added, as highlighted by MyLondon:
“The venue’s terminal hour at that point was significantly earlier than the time that has been applied for as part of this application. The conditions proposed are not strong enough to combat any potential crime and disorder that may occur as a result of the venue’s opening.”
Additionally, police representatives emphasized that authorities must thoroughly verify whether the new applicant entity has any hidden operational or personal connections to the disgraced operators behind Mangia Tutto.
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How Do Local Residents and Authorities Respond to the 2am Opening Bid?
The resistance extends far beyond the Metropolitan Police, drawing sharp criticism from neighborhood watch organizations and public health divisions. The South East Bayswater Residents’ Association has stepped forward to register an unyielding protest against the multi-floor scheme.
Expressing the community’s profound frustration, a spokesperson for the South East Bayswater Residents’ Association wrote, as quoted by Katherine Gray of MyLondon:
“We most strongly object to this application, particularly the hours applied for Sale of Alcohol, Late Night Refreshment and the opening hours. The hours proposed are likely to impact on the licensing objectives due to noise and nuisance from late night activities.”
The neighborhood alliance further maintained a strict stance on local municipal boundaries, adding via MyLondon: “We consider any hours granted should be no more than Westminster’s ‘Core Hours’.” Alongside the residents’ association, Westminster’s Environmental Health department has formally lined up to oppose the sweeping 2am license extension.
What Security and Operational Safeguards Has the Applicant Promised?
Facing heavy scrutiny from multiple fronts, the applicant has attempted to pacify concerns by submitting baseline operational parameters. According to documents filed with the local authority, the new management has promised that the restaurant will function strictly as a table-service-only environment. Under these proposed operational guidelines, alcoholic beverages will be served exclusively to seated diners.
To address security worries raised by law enforcement, the applicant has assured regulators that comprehensive CCTV monitoring systems will be fully maintained across all three floors, accompanied by mandatory staff training protocols. However, local reporters note that the applicant failed to supply any further substantive supporting documents or structural impact assessments alongside their core application.
With public representations closed and tensions running high across the Bayswater district, the ultimate fate of the three-floor hospitality space hangs in the balance. A definitive regulatory ruling on whether the restaurant will receive clearance or face a complete lock-out is scheduled to be decided by the Westminster City Council Licensing Sub-Committee.
