A SHUT-down pub which was formerly described as a celebrity haunt could be about to reopen.

The Kensington venue on Latimer Road was previously known as Ariadne's Nectar Bar.

In May last year it was purchased by property management firm Wentworth Andersen and its new owners already have a reported celebrity connection. One of those linked with the pub's acquisition is self-made property tycoon Ben Andersen, who isn't a regular in the media spotlight – but he is married to TV presenter, Kirsty Allsopp who is best known as co-presenter of Channel 4 property shows including Location, Location, Location, Love It or List It UK, Relocation, Relocation and Location Revisited.

Wentworth Andersen is hoping to open the pub in early 2025 as The Volunteer and has submitted a licencing application. In the application, approved by Kensington and Chelsea Council earlier this month, Wentworth Andersen requested opening hours from 10am to 11.30pm Sunday to Wednesday, and midnight Thursday to Saturday.

The submission however received three objections raising concerns about the proposal. One warned the pub would cause 'significant noise', and that its opening hours could draw gangs to Latimer Road.

They wrote: "These vulnerable groups may find it particularly challenging to navigate through crowded and chaotic street conditions, which can force them onto the road, compromising their safety and escalating the risk of accidents. This lack of safe passage on the road is unacceptable and poses serious safety concerns for the community."

The Licensing Sub-Committee resolved to grant the requested opening hours, with alcohol to be sold both on and off the premises between 10am and 11pm Sunday to Wednesday, and to 11.30pm the remainder of the week. The use of the private forecourt, however, is to end at 10pm.

A series of conditions were imposed, including that the pub cannot open until an acoustic report has been submitted assessing whether further works are required to protect nearby residents, as well as a dispersal and external management plan.

'Substantial' food is also to be available until at least 10pm, a condition added by the committee itself, and meetings must be held at a minimum once a year between the premises licence holder, local ward councillors and the St Quintin and Woodlands Neighbourhood Forum (SQWNF).

According to the minutes from the meeting, Henry Peterson, Chair of SQWNF, told the committee that while there was just one representation from the group calling for the proposal to either be refused or deferred, this was backed by 51 of its members.

He continued to reiterate the society's concerns, ranging from the late closing hours to fears the premises will be turned to residential use instead of a pub long-term.

This latter point was referenced separately by Joe Harvey, legal counsel for the applicant, who said Wentworth Andersen had a history of owning pubs as well as commercial properties. "The Applicant's intention was for the Premises to be a traditional London Victorian pub," the minutes state.

The committee concluded the hours sought were 'modest', and that while the pub's history understandably meant there was concern about its future use, "the Applicant was a completely different operator and fear of what may happen was not a reason to refuse an application."

In 2018, journalist and sister of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Rachel Johnson, and model and actress Amber Anderson launched a campaign to keep the open following a raft of noise complaints. The pub, however, had its licence revoked in 2020, which took effect two years' later following a withdrawn appeal against the decision.