New bar and restaurant looks to open in Windsor High Street

A new bar and restaurant could open in Windsor early next year if a licensing application is approved by the council.

Incognito Holdco Limited is seeking permission for a new premises licence to open at 13a High Street after the previous owner’s licence lapsed.

The applicant, Nick Robinson, has applied for late-night refreshments and the sale and supply of alcohol from Sunday to Thursday 11am to midnight and Friday and Saturday from 11am to 1am.

The table-service cocktail bar and restaurant, Incognito, currently has branches in Winchester, Richmond and Kingston and is known for operating ‘in a different way from many other places around the country’ with its ‘multi-sensory’ experience.

Mr Robinson said the premises will run as a restaurant, focusing on ‘developing the food and menu side’ and is not seeking an entertainment licence.

If the application is approved, the premises could open to the public by February 2024.

The site has a ‘difficult history’ with ‘historic issues’ relating to noise and nuisance complaints from nearby residents due to the previous occupier operating ‘like a nightclub’.

The new application faced one written objection from resident, Brian Bell, who was concerned about public order and disturbance.

Mr Bell said the planned closing time of the premises should be earlier than 1am as it ran the risk of ‘significant disturbance’ to the ‘heavily residential’ area, particularly as patrons leave the premises.

Councillor Mandy Brar (Lib Dem, Bisham and Cookham) asked the applicant if any noise complaints had been previously made at any of Incognito’s other sites during the council’s licensing panel sub-committee meeting on Wednesday (December 20).

Mr Robinson responded: “As of now we’ve never had a single noise complaint or any troubles whatsoever. I’ve had bars and busy hectic venues in my younger days and I couldn’t think of anything worse.”

To prevent disturbance and nuisance, Incognito has seated customers with maximum tables of six, a waiting service and a staggered table booking system, expecting no more than 20 customers to leave the premises at closing time.

No objections were made by the relevant licensing responsible authorities including Thames Valley Police and Environmental Protection and there were agreed conditions between the applicant and the trading standards.

The licensing panel is expected to decide on the application in the next five working days.