Adam Walford Speaks at Hospitality Titans: The Operator Playbook for Opening in London

Adam Walford, hospitality lawyer and business consultant at Howard Kennedy LLP, was recently a featured speaker at Titans Talk: Opening in London — The Operator Playbook for Law, Licensing & Launch. He was joined on the panel by leading industry figures including Jamie Hazeel, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Little Door & Co.; David Inzani, Partner at licensing specialists Poppleston Allen; and Sarah Williams, Licensing Officer at Camden Council, with the discussion hosted by Pete Warden, Co-Founder of Hospitality Titans. 

Bringing together legal, operational and licensing expertise, the panel explored the practical realities of launching a hospitality venue in London’s complex and highly regulated environment.

Getting the foundations right: acquiring a site

Adam began by addressing one of the most critical stages of any hospitality venture: acquiring the right site. He emphasised that operators face a broad range of considerations at the outset, from ensuring the premises can legally and practically be used as intended, to understanding whether an existing licence is in place or a new application will be required.

A key theme in Adam’s contribution was the importance of early engagement with professional advisers. It's common for the parties to transactions to want to push for a quick completion, and lawyers are mindful not to delay transactions unnecessarily. Adam highlighted that due diligence takes time—and for good reason. Search results alone can significantly delay matters, with some local authorities taking many months to return results, requiring operators to consider alternative protections such as insurance.

Equally, Adam underscored the need to involve accountants at an early stage to ensure the financial viability of a site. There is little value in agreeing lease terms, only to discover months later during the transaction that the business cannot sustain the rent.

When asked how often he advises against acquiring a site, Adam explained that his role is not to tell operators what to do, but to set out the risks clearly. If an operator remains committed to their vision, his role is to help them achieve it in the most risk-conscious way possible.

Licensing: early engagement is key

The panel then turned to licensing, where there was clear consensus: early engagement is essential. This applies both to licensing lawyers and to the local authority.

While acquiring a site with an existing licence is generally more straightforward, the panel noted that obtaining a new licence is entirely achievable—particularly where operators engage with the council early and demonstrate a clear, responsible vision. Councils are often willing to support well-considered applications, especially where operators align their proposals with the core licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.

The discussion also touched on the evolving regulatory landscape, including the National Licensing Policy Framework published in November 2025, which aims to better balance public safety with economic growth and high street regeneration. However, as the panel highlighted, local interpretation varies significantly. In some boroughs, such as Westminster, cumulative impact policies can make obtaining new licences particularly challenging.

The panel stressed the importance of location in this context—not just from a customer perspective, but from a regulatory one. Operators should carefully consider whether a local authority is likely to support their concept and whether landlords are known to be pragmatic and commercially minded. Even in more challenging areas, ambitious concepts can succeed, but doing so will invariably require greater time, effort and strategic planning.

Importantly, Adam noted that regulation is not inherently a barrier. In many cases, it enhances both customer and staff experience by creating a safe environment where people are more comfortable to embrace hospitality and teams can concentrate on delivering that, rather than being concerned about the safety of the environment. 

Building the right team

Another central theme of the discussion was the importance of assembling a strong, multidisciplinary team. Jamie Hazeel highlighted the role this has played in his own success, a view echoed across the panel. With so many specialised areas to navigate, hospitality operators cannot realistically be expected to be experts in everything.

Delivering a hospitality concept requires coordination across multiple areas of expertise—legal, licensing, financial and operational. As Adam and fellow panellists noted, these disciplines are often interconnected. For example, licensing conditions may directly influence how an agreement for lease is negotiated and drafted, reinforcing the need for close collaboration between advisers.

A final word of advice

When asked to offer one piece of advice to operators, Adam’s response was simple: sleep on it.

For Adam, this achieves two objectives. First, hospitality operators are, at their core, visionaries. Their ability to imagine and sustain a concept is what brings a venue to life, particularly when challenges arise, so it's important they keep on dreaming.

But equally, that same drive can lead to rushed decisions—often under pressure from other parties within the transaction and the pace of a competitive market. Taking time to pause, reflect and process information is essential.

As Adam put it, stepping back—even briefly—can bring clarity, support better decision-making, and ultimately ensure that both the vision and the business are built on solid ground

If you are planning to launch, expand or invest in a hospitality venture, our specialist team at Howard Kennedy is well placed to guide you through the process by providing commercially focused, practical advice tailored to your vision. Please get in touch with Adam Walford or a member of our Retail & Leisure team to discuss how we can support you in bringing your concept to life.