Blue Note Jazz Club to open first London venue

Blue Note Jazz Club has been granted a licence to open its first UK club, which is due to open its doors in early 2026.

Set within the basement of the St Martins Lane hotel in Covent Garden, London, the club will boast two performance spaces: a 250-capacity main room as well as a 100-cap secondary room, with a full-service kitchen and beverage menu open for dinner throughout the week.

The licence permits the club to open until 1am from Monday to Saturday and midnight on Sunday, and promises to offer “world-class” jazz performances from icons to rising stars, plus “genre-defying collaborations” reflecting the genre’s evolution.

“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,” says Steven Bensusan, president of Blue Note Entertainment Group. “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 Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City has become a music institution since opening in 1981. The club and its sister venues worldwide have featured surprise appearances from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Quincy Jones, Dave Chapelle and Chris Rock.

“Westminster is home to some of the capital’s most loved music venues and we want to ensure late night entertainment can continue to thrive”

Sophie Asquith, venue support team manager at the UK’s Music Venue Trust says the grassroots organisation is “delighted” that Blue Note has been granted a licence “with the hours needed to enable its world-famous jazz operation to flourish in central London”.

“Their plans and commitment have been thorough and conscientious throughout, and so we were very pleased to speak in support of the application at their recent hearing,” says Asquith. “The charity is excited to continue to work with the team, and wish them every success in their vision, bringing the very best in global and local grassroots jazz talent to their latest home in London.”

Further details of Blue Note Jazz Club London will be announced later this year.

“Westminster is home to some of the capital’s most loved music venues and we want to ensure late night entertainment can continue to thrive,” adds a Westminster City Council spokesperson. “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. We’re pleased that, following the approval of this application, jazz lovers will soon be able to enjoy the Blue Note Jazz Club.”

Blue Note Entertainment Group also owns and operates Sony Hall and Arthur’s Tavern; D.C.’s The Howard Theatre; and Blue Note Jazz Clubs Worldwide, which includes venues in Milan, Italy; Honolulu, HI; Beijing and Shanghai, China; Tokyo, Japan; Napa, CA; and Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil.

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