A fresh application has been made for The Unicorn in Camden Road which hosted its last gig in March 2020.
The pub remained shuttered, and a bid by owners Warwick Classic Cars Ltd to revive it under the management of the late Vince Power in 2022 came to nothing.
Planning permission was granted in 2024 to extend, refurb and reconfigure the building at the corner of Brecknock Road into seven flats, a pub with live music area in the basement, and a new shop unit.
Now it seems the long delayed work could be under way with the latest plans lodged with Camden Council relating to acoustic separation between the pub and residential area, and a green roof to promote biodiversity.
Applicant HB Surveyors & Valuers Ltd made the application on behalf of Warwick Classic Cars.
The planning permission is to build a mansard roof on top of the pub and create seven flats, enlarge the basement, and build first and second floor extensions fronting Camden Road and Brecknock Road along with “works in association with the re-provision of public house / live music.”
The plans also create a new flexible retail space at ground and basement levels fronting Brecknock Road where there would also be an entrance to the self-contained flats.
The pub dates back to the 1830s and was originally called The Brecknock Arms.
It was later known as The Blitz and The Pickled Newt and in recent decades operated as a well known live music venue – especially for punk, rock, and metal music fans, often featuring free entry to gigs and operating a strictly no cover bands policy.
The pub’s final Instagram post was on March 19, 2020 saying it would close the following day.
A Crowdfunder was later launched to reopen the venue with fans commenting on Facebook: “An awesome venue for smaller bands. We’re losing too many of them.”
While another wrote: “Me and my mates saw many gigs there in the 80s!”
