West London restaurant and bar where ‘gun battle erupted in street’ is given permission to reopen

Staff
By Staff

A West London bar that was forced to shut in December after a safety consultant was caught up in an alleged gun battle has been allowed to reopen.

Kensington and Chelsea Council said Ricco London, a restaurant, lounge and club in Russell Gardens, Kensington can open seven days a week, according to a summary decision dated July 17 but only recently published online.

The club will be open to the public between 10am and 1am Tuesday to Sunday and until 12.30am on a Monday. It will run as an Italian restaurant with an external dining area and late night cocktail bar.

The total number of people allowed inside, including staff, cannot exceed 120 and drinks will only be served by waiting staff, the decision read.

Chelsea Events & Entertainment Ltd, which managed the club when its licence was revoked, also volunteered quarterly meetings with residents and local councillors.

The council imposed a number of conditions on the new licence including the banning of all regulated entertainment on the ground floor of the premises and ensuring a dedicated number and email address for the Designated Premises Supervisor is displayed outside.

They also ordered Ricco’s to allow delivery drivers to use their toilet facilities and ensure a named member of staff oversees private functions.

Residents opposed the application out of fear the venue would attract antisocial behaviour.

One objector wrote: “This premises has largely contributed to increased disturbance in a heavily residential area. From drugs, fighting, setting off car alarms and most disturbingly gun shots!

“There has been no consideration to residents and no responsibility taken when the premises closes in the early hours with a lack of parking spaces and the area not being cleared, having to listen to screaming obscenities at 3AM!”

Another wrote: “As parking is near non-existent outside the premises, visitors park further down the adjoining Russell Road and are therefore unmonitored by the licensed premises staff. Despite contact being made to the previous licence holders regarding this, no attempt was made to improve the situation.”

In December, Ricco London, also known as Ricco Lounge and Club, had its licence revoked after a gun battle reportedly erupted outside the Kensington venue at the exact moment a safety consultant had gone to inspect the venue on behalf of the council. At the time Ricco’s said it “fundamentally disagreed” with the decision and would appeal.

It came weeks after Kensington and Chelsea Council ordered the venue to temporarily shut while it considered an application to revoke its licence by the Metropolitan Police.

Ricco London has been contacted for comment.

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