Plans have been submitted to revive The Redback, a much-loved London bar in Fulham that was once a favourite destination for Australian expats and backpackers. The venue, which opened in 2019, was famed for its raucous party atmosphere and hosted Imperial College’s sports teams among other international visitors.
The Redback unexpectedly shut its doors just five years later when operator RedCat Leased Pubs Limited (RCLP) went into administration. The venue later became overrun with squatters, who held unlicensed music events before being cleared out by police.
Planning application details
Since then, The Redback has been conspicuously quiet. Its lease is currently being marketed by real estate firm Colliers, complete with a late-night licence. Interest has also been stirred by a planning application submitted by a K El Jalek.
The proposal requests permission to erect an additional floor at roof level, add rear extensions at the first and second floors, and enlarge the existing basement to “provide function rooms and, in the case of the basement, ancillary facilities”.
Earlier this year, Mr Jalek successfully submitted a licensing application to be the official premises supervisor for The Redback. He is also listed on Companies House as the sole director of 490-492 Fulham Road Ltd, the address of The Redback.
Local reaction
Charlotte Dexter, of campaign group FulhamTogether, said she would like the planning application to lead to an “imaginative new concept” for the building.
She said: “I would love to see it become a distinctive, contemporary pub with rooms [like] an inviting cocktail bar and social space open to the public at street level, with a small clutch of boldly designed boutique guest rooms above.
“Our best evidence-based estimate is that well over 1,500 visitors sleep in Fulham’s hotels and serviced accommodation on an average night... There is a real opportunity to serve discerning, well-heeled visitors choosing historic, distinctive and exceptionally well-connected Fulham as their base for exploring London.
“Such a new hospitality anchor for Fulham Broadway would preserve the building’s essential role as a public house while complementing both the planned restoration of Fulham Town Hall and the Wetherspoon now housed within the Grade II-listed former Fulham Broadway Underground Station entrance and ticket hall.
“Most importantly for neighbouring residents, it could bring this prominent building back to life without recreating the late-night disruption that later required major police intervention and a magistrates’ closure order at the premises.”
Another local, who did not wish to give their name, said: “Residents would like to see this premises, which is a much-loved local landmark, brought back to life as a more upmarket pub where we could spend many an hour.” However, the resident added a note of caution: “We don’t understand the need to double its size, which doesn’t make financial sense.”
Future outlook
Plans for a gambling site “would not be well received by locals”, the local added, with a pub needed on this particular stretch of Fulham Road.
A consultation on the planning application closed on September 16. As council officers assess the submission and the feedback from locals, The Redback may be about to undergo its latest reinvention, with its future becoming clear very soon.
