A beloved Hackney club has warned plans for blocks of flats next door could put it at risk as its future neighbours could complain about noise “dealing yet another blow to London’s dwindling independent venue scene”.
MOTH club, which has hosted intimate gigs with the likes of Lady Gaga, Caroline Polachek and IDLES, has warned blocks which could be built towering over the venue “would have devastating consequences for its future”.
Further plans have been submitted to demolish a building directly next to MOTH on Morning Lane weeks after the venue asked gig goers to object to proposals for a six-storey building to be constructed next door to the club.
On Thursday, MOTH warned that a second planning proposal had been submitted to Hackney Council to develop blocks of flats, adding that “both developments, if approved, put one of London’s most loved independent grass route venues at serious risk, as well as impacting the identity of the local area.”
In a petition page set up to fight the plans, MOTH wrote: “One of the planned blocks will have balconies directly overlooking MOTH’s smoking area and back onto the stage wall a move that would lead to conflicts, noise complaints, and a serious threat to the venue’s ability to operate.”
The statement added: “If these developments are approved, the noise, disruption, and potential complaints from future residents could jeopardise the venue's future, dealing yet another blow to London’s dwindling independent venue scene.”
Over 2,300 people had signed the petition against the block of flats on Friday morning.
Hackney Council officers agreed that the plans for the new homes were “acceptable in principle” but warned about the “significance of the MOTH club,” council documents show.
A noise assessment included in one of the proposals for the flats points out a national policy which says: “Planning policies and decisions should ensure that new development can be integrated effectively with existing businesses and community facilities (such as places of worship, pubs, music venues and sports clubs).
“Existing businesses and facilities should not have unreasonable restrictions placed on them as a result of development.”
MOTH was initially opened as an ex-servicepersons club in 1972 and for the last 10 years its well-known golden ceiling has hosted the likes of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Jarvis Cocker, Dry Cleaning, Shame, Rahim Redcar, Gilla Band, Los Bitchos, Biig Piig, Sprints, Wunderhorse, Amyl and the Sniffers, Jalen N’Gonda, Låpsley and more.
