Simon Cowell is among hundreds who have come out to support a legendary Italian restaurant in Chelsea which is facing restrictions, following a series of noise complaints. Authentic Tuscan eatery La Famiglia was founded in 1974 by Alvaro Maccioni, who is touted as the Godfather of Italian cuisine.
Noise complaints and the neighbour's case
A Chelsea resident, who lives in a property adjoining the venue, says that the restaurant is creating so much noise that it is keeping his family awake at night. He added that the canopy covering La Famiglia's garden has “no acoustic insulation”. However 247 people, including guitar hero Eric Clapton and film producer Barbara Broccoli, have backed the Chelsea restaurant ahead of its licence review.
In a letter of support, music mogul Simon Cowell said that La Famiglia was "genuinely one of [his] favourite restaurants in the world”. He wrote: “Stating the obvious, this is London. And if they are forced into changing the garden opening hours this will have a massive impact on the business and potentially close down one of the most beautiful, iconic restaurants in the UK.”
Licence review and adjournment
Kensington and Chelsea’s Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to review the restaurant’s licence on Tuesday (October 13), following an application by the Chelsea neighbour. The hearing has since been adjourned as representatives from the venue were unable to attend the meeting, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands. A report to the sub-committee shows that the application to review the licence was supported by the council’s Environmental Noise Team.
It asked the council to add a restriction to La Famiglia's licence that would require the venue to shut its garden several hours earlier than it does currently, at 9pm. Following a series of complaints, the council’s Environmental Health department said it served Ms Marietta Maccioni, who runs the restaurant, with a Noise Abatement Notice on October 7, 2025. Ms Maccioni was handed a fine of £400 in July 2026, for allegedly breaching this notice.
Council response and next steps
A Kensington and Chelsea spokesperson said: “The committee decided that it was important to have the opportunity to hear directly from the applicant and ask questions of them, and all other parties, before reaching a decision. We recognise the strength of feeling about this case and appreciate the time people took to attend the hearing. The hearing will be rescheduled, with a new date confirmed as soon as possible. We thank everyone for their understanding.”
