A popular west London club frequented by a slew of A-list celebrities has applied to take over office space and extend its opening hours.
The Roof Gardens on Kensington High Street said the new area would accommodate “general member programming and events” and include a library, work space and two member lounges, an application before Kensington and Chelsea Council shows.
The grade-II listed former nightclub was known for its extravagant parties attended by celebrities like Kate Moss, Madonna and Freddie Mercury but closed in 2018. In 2020, it was bought by Stephen Fitzpatrick, the billionaire founder of Ovo Energy, and turned into a private members’ club.
In January, it hosted British model Rosemary Ferguson's 50th birthday party, which was attended by a host of famous faces including David and Victoria Beckham.
Two months earlier, Hollywood stars like Jude Law and Nicole Kidman were among the attendees as the venue staged the GQ London Men of the Year Awards.
The venue has now applied to occupy the fifth floor of its 99 Kensington High Street address and install a new Italian garden kitchen, bar and sushi counter on other floors. The club currently occupies the sixth floor and rooftop.
It also has asked Kensington and Chelsea Council’s Licensing Committee to ditch a restriction which makes the club’s 3am closing time between Thursdays to Saturdays temporary, so they can permanently stay open that late.
It has promised to keep capacity at 600 people. Residents have written in to oppose the application, which they say is confusing and could lead to customers staring into their windows.
They said the fifth floor directly overlooks residential properties and that it was “premature” to remove the condition on closing times because the venue had been open less than 12 months and had already received noise complaints. They also complained about being awoken by crushing glass every morning.
A report by the council read: “There is an issue with noise bleed, particularly bass noise causing both audible noise and vibrating windows in residents’ homes late in the evening. This becomes an increasing problem as one moves to higher floors in the house where most residential bedrooms are located.”
The application also received 15 letters of support. One supporter wrote: “The Roof Gardens is run with great care, professionalism, and discretion. It has no negative impact on crime or public nuisance — quite the opposite. It brings positive energy to the community and supports local employment, all while maintaining a calm and respectful presence in the neighbourhood.”
Another said: “I have been a member since it opened last year, and I am continually impressed by the measures the club takes to ensure residents are not disturbed by noise from the parking (even though I have resident parking, members are not allowed to park in Kensington Square or the surrounding roads which is why I always come and leave by taxi).
“Security personnel hired by the club constantly patrol visitors’ behaviour, be it parking, noise level or disturbances. For this reason, I have no hesitation walking the surrounding streets if I am on my own. It feels incredibly safe.”
Kensington and Chelsea Council will review the application on Thursday, May 29.
The Roof Gardens were built in 1938 and were a licenced establishment for more than 20 years. The club closed in 2018 when the previous operator, Virgin, vacated the premises after occupying it since 1981.
Stephen Fitzpatrick acquired the property in 2020 and reopened the premises as an exclusive private members’ club in July 2024.
