Evening Standard: American boss of new hotel wants London to embrace post-midnight dining

The American boss of a new hotel where guests will be able to dine at 2am said his frustration at being unable to eat out late in London drove him to seek a 24-hour licence.

Amar Lalvani, chief executive officer of Evening Standard Hotels, which launches its first location outside the US tomorrow, in the former Camden Town Hall annexe, said he was astonished to discover that post-midnight dining culture barely exists in the capital.

The 266-room hotel will have 12 outdoor baths as well as two restaurants, a British local-style pub-bar, a library and a garden.

Mr Lalvani said: “I would arrive late on a flight into London and want to get something to eat. I would usually go to Soho assuming that would be the one place where you would be able to get a meal late at night — but it’s impossible.”

The hotel will have an all-night licence for its lobby bar, Double Standard, as well as its 10th-floor restaurant and bar — which opens later in the summer.

The restaurant will be run by Michelin-starred Peter Sanchez-Iglesias.