.jpeg?width=1200&auto=webp&crop=3%3A2)
A new floating restaurant could soon open on the River Thames in south London.
Turks Launches, which runs daily boat trips along the Thames, wants permission to open a new café and restaurant in a boat known as The Aphrodite, which is moored at Town End Pier in Kingston town centre.
The venue would be a café in the day and transform into a restaurant serving booze in the evening. It would seat 64 people, with space for 40 people inside and 24 people across two outdoor decked areas, if Kingston Council grants its licence.
Application documents said: “The aim is to bring together the traditions of the River Thames and the vibrant café and eating scene in Kingston upon Thames to create a comfortable, friendly and relaxing atmosphere down on the river.”
Richard Turk, managing director of Turk Launches, told the council’s licensing hearing on August 26 the family-run business was the oldest in Kingston, as it had been in operation since 1710.
The business provides river cruises, party boats and residential moorings along the stretch of the Thames from Richmond to Kingston and Hampton Court Palace.
Residents had raised concerns the restaurant would be too noisy, but lawyer Nick Landells, representing Turks Launches, reassured them it would not cause a disturbance.
He said the venue could not be turned into a party boat without extra permission and that it would stay in the same place throughout its operation.
Mr Turk added: “I intend to operate The Aphrodite professionally, carefully and [with due diligence] without any negative impact on people living at my current Town End Pier site and those nearby residents.”
If allowed to open, the restaurant would only serve booze to customers seated with a substantial meal. It would open at 7.30am every day, serving booze from 12pm, before shutting at 10pm on Mondays to Saturdays, and 9pm on Sundays.
Kingston Council will publish its decision on the plans in the coming days.
