The Top Secret Comedy Club, a London venue that has hosted comedians including Rob Beckett and Katherine Ryan, has submitted a licensing application to open a new site in the basement and sub-basement of 10 Fetter Lane, near Fleet Street. The proposed venue would have a total capacity of over 500 people across two spaces, with plans to sell alcohol and host shows until midnight seven days a week, with a closing time 30 minutes later.
Proposed Venue and Licensing Details
The club, which already operates two other venues in London and one in New York, is looking to convert the premises, which was formerly a gym and has been vacant for more than five years. The licensing application, filed with the City of London Corporation, seeks permission for the sale of alcohol and entertainment, though a separate planning application would be required to change the venue's use before opening.
The hours are not necessarily when events would run until, but are intended to provide flexibility and allow attendees to disperse gradually. The club's founder, Mark Rothman, said events would be staggered to prevent large groups leaving at once, and he expressed willingness to negotiate on opening hours to accommodate larger acts, including potential appearances by Ricky Gervais, Romesh Ranganathan, Russell Howard, or Dave Chappelle.
Resident Concerns and Objections
The licensing proposal faced an objection from the Corporation's Pollution Control team. Claire Callan-Day, an Environmental Health Technician, wrote that a “significant number” of the 176 residential flats in the area are likely to be impacted by noise from the new venue. She noted that patrons exiting the venue may be “in high spirits” and that alcohol is likely to elevate noise levels, concluding that the site's proximity to homes makes it “not suitable to be licensed for use as a comedy club”.
Alderwoman Martha Grekos, representing Castle Baynard ward, also raised concerns, describing the area as “really quiet” with “hardly any traffic” and low background noise, where “you can hear people speaking or their footsteps”. She argued that the location “will remain predominantly residential and actually still very quiet in that corner”.
Support from Local Businesses
However, the Fleet Street Quarter BID, established in 2022 to represent local businesses, backed the application. Its Chief Executive, Lady Lucy French, wrote that the club's basement location and proposed licensing hours, which are shorter than those of adjacent pub The Editor’s Tap, “would seem to reduce the likelihood of any significant impact”. She also noted the proposal aligns with the Corporation’s Destination City programme to diversify the Square Mile’s offerings, and that Fleet Street is changing with projects such as Salisbury Square and the retrofit of the former Daily Telegraph building.
Lady French stated: “I sincerely believe that the proposed Comedy Club will complement the new developments currently under construction and others planned for the area and will help create a new Fleet Street business district as a desirable location for businesses to locate in, residential to live and visitors to stay in and experience.”
At a Licensing Sub-Committee meeting on Tuesday (October 20), the applicant's team disputed the characterisation of the area as quiet, citing measurements from Fetter Lane suggesting background noise was louder than dispersal times at the club's Drury Lane venue. Felix Faulkner, legal counsel for the applicant, said the proposal is not for “a wet-led late-night bar or a noisy nightclub” but a “well-led professional comedy club looking to bring more culture and variety to the area and its residents”.
Ms Callan-Day remained unconvinced, citing the proximity of flats facing onto Fetter Lane and a “significant risk” of public nuisance. A decision on the licensing application is due within five working days of Tuesday's meeting.
