‘It’s not a party’: Shoreditch work space applies to serve booze at networking events

An office work site in Shoreditch has no plans to hold parties when it serves alcohol at networking events, a licensing committee has heard.

Rise on Luke Street is owned by Fintech, which is in turn owned by Barclays Bank.

Leo Charalambides, acting for Rise, told councillors that the site supervisor was the designated premises supervisor for Barclays HQ at Canary Wharf and also at the bank’s Mayfair office.

He said there were no plans for off sales. The venue applied for a licence to serve alcohol between 9am to 10.30pm on Mondays to Thursdays and until 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

He said residents’ concerns have been answered.

One resident wrote to object saying: “There are 20-plus flats that have bedrooms and living rooms within 20 metres of the entrance to Rise, where the noise from the people in the street outside can get so loud that it can drown out our normal home life.

“Given that Rise has been set up to nurture business rather than as a space for socialising, I feel that there is no case for Rise to be licensed beyond 9pm on any day, and no case at all for licensing on weekends.”

Charalambides told the committee: “All our events are prebooked and linked to our seminars and the general peak is around 3pm on a weekday, with people dispersing by 4pm to 6pm.

“The beers and wines are pre-ordered and they know the maximum capacity. Once it runs out that’s it, the event is over. It’s not a party.”

He said people will get food too: “They’re not the kind of clients who do anything other than network and get home.”

He said as working patterns change these kind of offices “will be quite key”, and added that neighbours did not raise any direct concerns.

Councillor Penny Wrout said she did not think people’s fears will be realised.

The sub-committee (3 August) will publish its decision next week but said it was likely to approve the application.