Tequila Mockingbird shut down in Clapham Junction earlier this year, with the owners reopening the venue as Bad Habits in June.
Neighbours raised concerns about the new bar, on Battersea Rise, having the same management as Tequila Mockingbird, as they claimed their lives were disrupted for years by the former nightclub.
Members of Hafer Road Neighbourhood Watch requested a review of the venue’s licence, held by owner Jonathan Bas, which was heard by Wandsworth Council on August 7.
The council’s licensing committee decided to allow the venue to keep its licence after the hearing, with some extra conditions to address residents’ concerns.
These include using a sound limiter to avoid excessive noise, closing the front window by 10pm and hosting a quarterly meeting with residents.
It comes after Laurent Kssis, on behalf of Hafer Road Neighbourhood Watch, called for more conditions to be added to the venue’s licence at the hearing.
He said residents’ concerns had been eased as they had met with Mr Bas since requesting the review, but they wanted to see more conditions introduced – including reduced operating hours, a requirement to shut windows and doors and regular meetings to address concerns.
Mr Kssis claimed in his representation to the council residents had endured years of sleep deprivation due to loud noise from Tequila Mockingbird into the early hours of the morning.
He told the hearing that while the alleged issues had improved since the venue reopened as Bad Habits, he was still concerned by it having the same management and its marketing online. The bar is promoted on website DesignMyNight as “built for… rule-breakers”.
Resident Roberta Adams also told the hearing: “There has been an improvement… which we’re very pleased with since the bar has reopened.
“I’m still very much concerned about the way they advertise themselves though, because that might attract customers that are not really appropriate for a residential area.
“We’ve got lots of children and my own family has been affected greatly by years of loud music and rowdy customers. Our sleep has been disturbed and my child’s sleep has been disturbed for many years.”
Solicitor Felix Faulkner, representing Mr Bas, told the hearing there had been no complaints about the venue since it reopened as Bad Habits, which attracted older customers and fewer groups.
He said no recent evidence had been submitted showing the venue breaching conditions on its licence or directly linking it to antisocial behaviour in the area, which had many late-night venues that also shut at 2am, and that Mr Bas was not aware of residents’ concerns until the review was lodged.
Mr Faulkner said: “My client is a well-respected and responsible operator who has operated this premises for seven years.
“As mentioned above, no responsible authorities have submitted a representation in support of the review – most importantly the police and environmental health, the lead advisors on crime and disorder and nuisance.”
He added: “Since the change, there have been no complaints from any residents or the responsible authorities with regards to the new operation.
“Based on all of the above it is evident that the premises… upholds all of the licensing objectives and, with the current and additional measures and conditions in place, will continue to uphold the licensing objectives. My client is committed to community engagement and would welcome a closer working relationship with all neighbours going forward.”
A report on the committee’s decision to allow the venue to keep its licence said members did believe there had been “issues over the last seven years” but that there had been less incidents recently, and neighbours now knew they should ask the council to investigate if their concerns persisted.
