Blue Note Jazz Club Set To Open in London

Summary

• The London Blue Note Jazz Club is scheduled to open in early 2026.
• The venue will feature two performance spaces with a total capacity of 350.
• This marks the first Blue Note venue in the UK.

The UK is getting its first Blue Note Jazz Club in early 2026.

Billboard reports that the new Blue Note venue officially received a late license by the local council, allowing it to open until past midnight. Taking over the basement of the St Martins Lane hotel in Covent Garden, London, the venue will be able to host a total of 350 patrons. Two performance spaces will be set up — a main room with 250 people and a smaller area for 100 people. A full-service kitchen and beverage menu will also be available for guests during dinner service.

Steven Bensusan, president of Blue Note Entertainment Group said in a statement, “We’re excited to be coming to London and grateful to Westminster Council for recognising what Blue Note can bring to the city’s nightlife. As we prepare to open in early 2026, we’re looking forward to bringing world-class jazz and a deep cultural legacy to one of the greatest music cities in the world.”

The venue was previously only given a license to open until 11:30 p.m. Reports from earlier in the year claimed that local residents and the Metropolitan Police Service opposed the opening of the venue. A February report from a Licensing Sub-Committee from the City of Westminster shared that local police protested against the opening as “it would undermine the licensing objective of ‘prevention of crime and disorder.’”

Local industry figures asserted that the initial move was oppressive to the London’s nightlife. Bensusan told Sky News that a late license was essential in the venue’s operation, “If they’re not giving us a late license, I can’t imagine how they would be supportive of other smaller venues, which are important for the ecosystem in general.”