New York’s legendary Blue Note Jazz Club to open new venue in London
New York’s legendary Blue Note Jazz Club is heading to London next year, with a brand new venue projected to open in early 2026.
Following a successful licence application, the new venue is set to open next year inside the basement of Covent Garden’s St Martins Lane hotel, offering a daily music programme.
Blue Note Jazz Club will open seven days a week, with a 1:AM licence from Monday – Saturday. The venue will remain open until midnight on Sundays, with a full-service kitchen open throughout the week.
The club flaunts two intimate rooms, with a 250-capacity main room and a second, 100-capacity adjoining space. Each room will host performances from “celebrated icons to rising stars”, per a press release.
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The news of Blue Note Jazz Club’s opening follows a recent battle to secure its licence. In February, the venue’s licensing application was opposed by the Met Police, who claimed that it could add to “crime, disorder, and public nuisance”, but had success in its recent reapplication.
The club then secured its first ever UK licence last week, a decision that was welcomed by the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA). Despite the successful campaign, NTIA CEO Michael Kill said: “The decision to grant Blue Note’s license has been warmly welcomed — but the fact that it reached this point is deeply troubling.”
“This wasn’t a question of the operator’s ability or compliance; it was about exerting control over the space surrounding the venue. The police objection even challenged whether music and dance should be considered culture – a stark reminder of how reductive and narrow our official definitions have become.”
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Speaking on the decision to grant the venue with a licence, a Westminster City Council spokesperson explained: “Every licensing decision is carefully considered, based on the evidence presented to the committee and keeping in mind the needs of residents.”
“In this case it was clear that venue management have engaged extensively with local people to improve their application and address the concerns that were raised by the police.”
Though a specific opening date has yet to be revealed, London’s new Blue Note Jazz Club will open in early 2026, with more details to be announced soon.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag’s Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter
