For the fourth Permit Room from the acclaimed Indian restaurant Dishoom, our team worked on the design of its first London location. 

Based on Notting Hill’s Portobello Road, the new easygoing all-day bar café has made its home in the former Colville Hotel. Originally opened in the mid-1860s, the Victorian boozer has been reimagined, bringing a relaxed and welcoming neighbourhood hangout to the ground floor, along with an inviting first-floor dining room above. 

Our approach was to blend the spirit of Bombay’s mid-century permit rooms and the no-frills character of its modern quarter bars with the warmth and hospitality of a classic British pub. 

The ground floor houses Permit Room’s all-day bar café, where there’s a strong emphasis on music, featuring DJs and a classic jukebox. Distinctive details include perforated plywood back bench seating, timber boarded floors, natural rattan blinds and slow-moving ceiling fans, giving the space an easy, relaxed feel. 

The back bar design was inspired by the longstanding Puthu & Sons Washing Co. and the iconic Bombay Gymkhana in Fort, while the ceiling moulding borrows touches from the Royal Bombay Yacht Club. At the far end of the bar, a screen references the architectural details of The Lakshmi Building, weaving subtle nods to Bombay’s history throughout the space. 

Upstairs, the first-floor dining room offers a calmer, more spacious contrast to the lively Permit Room below. Seating 44 guests, the space reinterprets the history of the building as a renowned dining room, featuring bespoke mid-century modern chandeliers, salvaged parquet flooring layered with vintage rugs and full-length drapes framing generous Victorian windows. A collection of antique pieces further enriches its character and charm. 

The new Permit Room is located at 186 Portobello Rd, London W11 1LA and opened on 9 May 2025.