Wetherspoons Euston: See inside the new pub to open in former strip club - despite Spoons sell-off

A former Euston lap-dancing nightclub is set to become a new Wetherspoon pub after Camden Council gave the project the green light.

Architecture firm Nineteen47 submitted the application on behalf of the pub chain in December last year, requesting approval to turn the site, previously occupied by Sophisticats, into a public house.

The approval comes amid Wetherspoon’s widely-reported plans to sell establishments across the UK for “commercial reasons”.

The chain’s boss, Tim Martin, said at the time of the publication of the company’s half-year results in October, that following the lockdowns and restrictions of the pandemic, the reality for publicans was “a painstakingly slow recovery in sales, for some but not all, accompanied by great inflation in costs”.

The application seeks to transform the nightclub at the ground and basement levels of the Eversholt Street site, including a new shop front, plant equipment and customer seating area.

Based on mock-ups of what the pub will look like, it appears as if the new establishment will be called The Captain Flinders. The remains of the explorer Captain Matthew Flinders were discovered during work on the HS2 project nearby in 2019.

Among the submissions in response to the planning application was a document consisting of objections from residents living near other Wetherspoon pubs in the UK, featuring complaints ranging from the chain being “neglectful of putting security in place”, and that the noise levels from the beer garden are “unbearable”.

As part of its planning statement, under the header ‘Being a Good Neighbour’, Nineteen47 writes that Wetherspoon “attaches the utmost importance to the careful investigation and prompt resolution of any complaint made”.

It continues: “Overall JD Wetherspoon has very few complaints relative to the size of its estate and virtually all of these are resolved satisfactorily through its complaint and investigation procedures. This is very much testament to the professional and well-run nature of its establishments.”

In granting approval, Camden Council officers stipulated 15 conditions, including not playing any music which is audible in adjoining properties or highway, and that all tables, chairs and other non-permanent outdoor equipment be removed by 11.30pm and not put back before 7am each day.

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “We are delighted to have been granted planning permission for the new pub.

“Wetherspoon has a very good reputation for the manner in which it runs its pubs and we believe the new pub will be a great asset to the area and be welcomed by travellers using nearby Euston station as well as people living and working in the area.”