Former lap-dancing club in Euston could reopen as Wetherspoons pub

A former lap-dancing club near Euston could soon open its doors as the latest pub run by the Wetherspoons chain.

The pub will be called the Captain Flinders after Matthew Flinders, who named Australia.

His remains were found near Euston as part of the excavations for the HS2 railway and are due to be reburied near his Lincolnshire home.

He is also commemorated with a statue outside the main entrance to Euston Station.

J D Wetherspoon was given planning permission to transform the former SophistiCats venue into a pub in March and Camden’s licensing committee will consider its licensing application next week.

SophistiCats was granted its last licence to wind up the lap-dancing venue last summer after police argued the area would be unsuitable because of the changes the HS2 station was expected to bring.

Wetherspoons recently applied to put up a new doubled-sided pictorial sign topped with a carved ship above the pub in Eversholt Street.

Ward councillors have urged the licensing committee to limit the opening hours until 11pm.

St Pancras and Somers Town councillor Edmund Frondigoun wrote: “I am concerned about the cumulative impact of another licensed establishment when there are eight within 300m all ringed around a residential area.”

He said other nearby pubs had to close at 11pm because they are near homes.

The pub wants to open from 6.30am to midnight on Mondays to Thursdays and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.

It is proposing opening at 7.30am on Sundays and shutting at 11.30pm.

Alcohol would be on sale from 8am each day, ending at 11.30pm on Mondays to Thursdays, to half past midnight on Friday and Saturdays and to 10.30pm on Sundays.

Residents whose homes are behind the pub have also raised concerns about noise.

JD Wetherspoon said it builds noise reduction measures into its pubs and has effective staff supervision and “efficient procedures for dealing with any complaints quickly and effectively”, along with CCTV and signage to encourage patrons to be considerate of neighbours.