For more than a decade, The Black Cap stood derelict on Camden High Street — one of London’s most iconic LGBTQ+ venues, closed since 2015 and kept alive only by a community determined to see it return.

Forma London was appointed to lead the fit-out of this beloved landmark, balancing complex structural works with the sensitive restoration this building demanded.

Community engagement sat at the heart of the project from day one. We worked closely with local campaigners, longstanding regulars, and stakeholders throughout, making sure the priorities that mattered most to them shaped every decision on site.

Heritage restoration meant uncovering and celebrating what remained rather than stripping it away. The original bars, so central to people’s memories of the pub, were carefully retained and restored. During the strip-out, our team also discovered original tiling hidden beneath later alterations, rather than losing it, we worked with the design team to repurpose the tiles into bespoke artwork now on display within the finished venue.

Delivering the works on a live, busy high street brought real logistical challenges. Deliveries, plant, and access all had to be tightly planned around pedestrian footfall, neighbouring businesses, and restricted loading times, with every element coordinated carefully to avoid disruption.

The result is a building completely transformed: fully functioning bars across two floors, where original character and reclaimed detail sit alongside contemporary finishes, with two further floors of hotel accommodation above giving this local landmark a sustainable future.

This project has been shortlisted across multiple categories in several industry awards, recognising the craftsmanship, heritage restoration, and community collaboration behind the return of The Black Cap.