The Met Police has objected to a new jazz bar in Covent Garden over fears “vulnerable” club-goers could become victims of crime.
Plans for the Blue Note Jazz club would see a 350-seater venue in the basement of the St Martins Lane hotel open until 1am seven days a week.
It is an off-shoot of the renowned Blue Note in New York, which opened in 1981 and is often dubbed the most famous jazz club in the world.
But Scotland Yard has objected to the venue’s bid to be allowed to stay open and serve alcohol until 1am, saying they believed it “could add to crime, disorder and public nuisance” in the West End.
Officers told Westminster City Council at a hearing on Thursday that it believed the late hours would “expose more people to crime and disorder in the immediate area”.
They said jazz fans “leaving the venue late at night” may become a target for illegal taxis who “prey on vulnerable, intoxicated lone females”, as well being targeted for mobile phone snatches.
The concern was echoed by a resident who asked councillors to limit the venue’s hours to 11pm to protect “vulnerable” jazz enthusiasts from criminals operating in the West End.
The unnamed resident wrote: “It is suggested that it is extremely likely that some of the dispersing jazz lovers may be inebriated to a greater or lesser extent or perhaps slightly disorientated by their emergence into the cool night air.
“They will be immediately vulnerable to the gangs of criminals who already prey on similar groups of people in the Soho area.”
But the venue operator urged councillors to allow it to open until 1am, saying it was “integral” to its functioning as a live jazz club.
It said: “London’s cultural fabric is on the line here. Grassroot music venue infrastructure will fall even further and remain below replacement rate if new venues like this application are not supported.”
It added that the proposed location - which was formerly a gym until its closure in 2023 - has been lying empty.
According to research carried out by the Mayor of London’s office, the number of grassroots music venues in the capital plummeted from 144 in 2007 to just 94 in 2016.
The Music Venue Trust in March last year estimated around one grassroots venue was closing per week on average nationally, with its research showing that in 2022 “the number of shows taking place at grassroots level fell by 16.9%, representing a significant threat to the talent pipeline”.
The first Blue Note venue was opened in New York in 1981 by owner Danny Bensusan and has played host to many famous names in the genre.
Other outlets have been established in Los Angeles, Rio and Milan, among other locations.
Councillors are expected to make a decision on the licensing application within five days.
