From Crown to Tu Pub Latino: Streatham Hill boozer’s 3am dream meets Licensing reality

Once one of south London’s most beloved old-school boozers, the Crown & Sceptre on Streatham Hill is now back before the Council – this time under its new name, Tu Pub Latino (“Your Latino Pub”) – seeking to keep the lights on a little later into the night.

The next Lambeth Licensing Sub-Committee on Tuesday 11th November 2025, sees the operators asking to extend opening until 3 am on Fridays and Saturdays, hoping to reposition the long-standing Streatham Hill pub as a more vibrant late-night venue.

But following early objections from the Met Police, the plans have already been watered down to a proposed 1.30 am finish – a sign that even modest extensions can prove contentious in Lambeth’s changing night-time economy.

Police officers initially lodged a formal objection, citing crime, disorder and public safety concerns around the proposed 3 am finish.

They later withdrew their opposition after negotiating tighter security conditions, including extra CCTV coverage, a Challenge 25 ID scheme, and a requirement for door staff on weekends.

However, both Lambeth’s Licensing Authority and Public Protection Team maintained their opposition, pointing to repeated noise complaints from local residents who say the venue’s music, shouting and late-night dispersal have been disrupting the neighbourhood.

Representation from Council officers in the committee papers sate that while operators had taken steps to improve, it was “premature to extend hours” given the recent track record.

The Crown & Sceptre – which dates back decades as a classic south London community pub – closed briefly in 2022 before re-emerging under new management and a new identity as Tu Pub Latino.

Once famed for its easy-going, no-nonsense charm, the venue now reflects a different audience and era: Latin music, DJ sets and a livelier weekend trade.

But like many pubs across south London, it finds itself caught between rising costs, shifting demographics and tighter licensing expectations.

Whatever the outcome of next week’s hearing, the Crown/Tu Pub Latino story captures the uneasy balance facing hospitality venues in 2025: adapt or disappear.