Barworks wants to turn The Diner in Kingsland Road back into a pub

The team behind new hipster hangout Mare Street Market wants to transform its Kingsland Road restaurant into a posh “food focused” pub.

Barworks, which launched Camden Town Brewery and runs pubs across London, also owns The Diner chain.

But it wants to close its branch at the junction of Dalston Lane and rebrand it as a Gastropub.

The building was built as a pub and housed The Crown and Castle until the turn of the century, when it became a Chinese restaurant.

A report attached to the application, set to be heard on Tuesday night, said: “Barworks are seeking to create a space that will combine food with a pub and showcase their take on what a gastropub should be like in Hackney.

“Looking at the Barworks portfolio, you will see they have used their entrepreneurial spirit to create different concepts and have no doubt that the new concept will be a positive contribution to the area.”

The pub firm said it wanted to invest a “significant amount of time and money” to restore the building.

Barworks first arrived in Hackney in 1998 with the opening of The Hoxton Bar and Kitchen. It also runs The Electricity Showrooms.

Last month craft beer favourite The Fox, which is further down Kingsland Road in Haggerston, closed suddenly.