A planning application submitted to Camden Council proposes converting the basement vault of the 2015 Hatton Garden heist into a robbery-themed bar. the project,spearheaded by landlord Pearl & Coutts, would require the closure of the historic E Katz & Co jewelry shop.
The legacy of Emil Katz and the 1946 founding of E Katz & Co
The proposed development threatens a business with deep roots in London's diamond district. E Katz & Co was established in 1946 by Holocaust survivor Emil Katz, who famously fled Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia with diamonds sewn into his clothing. Today, the firm is managed by his 86-year-old son, George Katz, who has worked at the company for nearly seven decades.
For the Katz family, the plan to celebrate a heist at their doorstep is a matter of profound personal trauma. George Katz has described the proposal as "ghoulish," noting that the 2015 robbery by the "Diamond Wheezers" gang devastated many local lives. According to the report, some victims even lost their livelihoods because safe deposit insurance was rare for such supposedly impenetrable vaults.
Inception Group's plan to feature a Hilti-drilled concrete hole
The design for the new underground venue aims to lean heavily into the notoriety of the 2015 raid. The Inception Group, a firm specializing in thematic concepts, has submitted visual references that incorporate actual artifacts from the crime scene. These include the damaged safety deposit boxes and the concrete hole drilled through the 50-centimeter-thick vault wall using a Hilti power drill.
While the basement will be transformed, the planning documents suggest the exterior will maintain its appearance as a shopfront. This is intended to preserve the visual character of the street, even as the interior functions shift from jewelry retail to a glamorous bar. The project would involve replacing the current shop with a stairwell and lift to provide access to the vault site.
Henig Diamonds and the fear of a vanishing jewelry quarter
Local industry leaders are sounding the alarm over the potential for a domino effect in Hatton Garden. Henig Diamonds has warned that approving this application could encourage further changes of use,eventually eroding the area's identity as Britain's principal diamond and jewelry quarter. The shift from specialized retail to themed entertainment is seen by many as a threat to the district's historical integrity.
Simon Loubskey, another local trader, characterized the replacement of a basement workshop with a robbery-themed bar as a "travesty." The tension highlights a growing conflict between the preservation of London's historic trade sectors and the expansion of the city's nightlife economy.
The unanswered question of where Camden Council's promised workshops will go
Despite the outcry, several critical details regarding the transition remain unverified. While Camden Council has stated it will seek to secure new premises for jewelry workshops, the specific locations and timelines for these relocations have not been disclosed. Furthermore, it remains unclear how the council will balance the protection of existing businesses with the approval of such a high-profile thematic venue.
The economic shadow of the original heist also lingers. while the mastermind Brian Reader, known as "The Guvnor," passed away in 2023, the financial resolution of the crime remains incomplete.. As the report notes, police have only recovered approximately £4.4 million of the stolen goods, leaving more than £9.5 million still unaccounted for.
Comments 0