Credit : Mixmag's X
LONDON, November 4, 2026 — MOTH Club, the long-running music and comedy venue in Hackney, East London, says it has been saved after the local council refused a second plan to build flats right next to it, ending two years of uncertainty over its future, as Mixmag reported on X.
Hackney Council turned down the application on October 29, 2026. The scheme, for seven flats and a ground-floor commercial unit on Morning Lane, backed directly onto the venue on Valette Street. The same developer’s earlier bid for six private flats nearby was rejected in March.
The venue, which first opened in 1972, shared the news with fans on October 30. “The second planning application next to the venue has been refused now too,” it said, calling it the news “we’ve all been waiting for” and confirming that it will keep operating as usual.
Local reports said planners refused the scheme on four grounds: noise, a lack of affordable housing, parking and traffic, and environmental sustainability. The council said the applicant had failed to show that the development would not cause “undue noise and disturbance” to future residents, citing London’s “agent of change” rule, which makes developers who build next to existing venues responsible for dealing with their noise.
The club had warned that new homes against its walls could bring noise complaints and, in turn, tighter licence conditions. “Complaints lead to conditions on the licence, and conditions on the licence are how grassroots venues close,” its petition said. The petition gathered more than 35,000 signatures, and around 27,000 people emailed local councillors to object to the plans.
In its statement, MOTH Club thanked Hackney Council and its planning department for their “due diligence”, and the Mayor of Hackney, Zoë Garbett, and her team for “coming down to the venue and backing grassroots music in Hackney”. It also thanked nightlife groups including Hackney Nights, Save Our Scene, the Night Time Industries Association and the Music Venue Trust.
“Remember, this was never just about MOTH Club. It’s about every space like ours, in every town and city on the planet. If we can do it here, we can do it anywhere,” the venue said.
The club has promised to celebrate with “the greatest party MOTH has ever witnessed”, though no date has been set. “We meant it. Watch this space,” it said. According to the Hackney Citizen, the developer has until April 29, 2027 to appeal against the decision.
Credit : Mixmag’s X
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