24 August 2022

HACKNEY LIVE MUSIC BUSINESSES UNITE AGAINST LICENCE THREATS

Hackney live music businesses The Jago and through the noise have united in protest against council threats to venue licences due to a rising number of noise complaints. Since the pandemic, a large number of business premises have been converted into residential properties and as such many live music venues now face surrounding buildings full of tenants, some of whom are pressuring the council to act. 

The Jago is one of the venues struggling with new noise complaints. Formally known as Passing Clouds, the venue in the old Hackney Gazette printing press on Kingsland Road has faced closure in the past. After a long fight to save the building from redevelopment, the site is now registered as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) and has continued to house local and diverse musicians for almost two decades. The venue has local, national and international draw, and has been a springboard for local musicians and promoters, such as Stoke Newington’s through the noise, to gain notoriety and expand to become one of the UK’s leading organisations for grassroots classical music.

However, the latest council approach to noise complaints puts venues at risk of closure or a reduction in trading hours, effectively making the businesses, many on the brink of financial crisis after being closed during successive lockdowns, non-viable. Other grassroots music venues, including The Haggerston Pub, have already fallen victim to these consequences. 

As one of the last ACV grassroots venues in Hackney, The Jago has the best chance of any to withstand the latest council intervention, but the venue has been driven to start a public petition to call-out for collective action to protect grassroots venues in Hackney against noise complaints and closure. The Mayor of London's Culture at Risk team have expressed their support in resolving the issue, and The Jago aim to facilitate a conversation between Hackney Environmental and Culture teams to reach a mutual resolution for all parties involved.

through the noise Co-founder and Artistic Director Jack Bazalgette said:

“Nightlife and live music is central to Hackney’s cultural richness and local economy. Venues like The Jago are revered across London, the UK, and internationally as cultural institutions, and are so important for putting, and keeping, Hackney on the map.

At through the noise, we’ve chosen to host most of our UK-wide noisenights series in Hackney, at spaces including OSLO and The Jago, because of our vibrant and forward-looking local music scene. We’ve seen other venues across London fall to new-build noise complaints and council intervention, and it would be a disaster for the area if this were to spread to Hackney.”

A spokesperson for The Jago said:

“Hackney is a wonderfully unique place. With people relocating to the area during a global pandemic, we want to ensure the cultural value and community arts spirit of Hackney is not overlooked. We welcome new residents into the vibrancy and culture of our community. We’d like to work with the wider community, and gain collective support to reach an amicable resolution.

Today, we are asking for your support. We are asking local residents to sign our petition, reinforcing a need for collective support in protecting our grassroots venues and culture in Hackney.”

through the noise began in the first lockdown as a positive force for live classical music. It runs an independent guide to the best and most affordable classical events in London and is the home of noisenights. through the noise is also a community interest company which runs live music-based mental health projects in collaboration with various London charities.

The Jago is an arts and culture hotspot. At the beating heart of Hackney, it hosts a range of live music events, dance, performance, film screenings, workshops  and much more. The Jago’s eclectic mix is reflective of London’s diverse communities and so offers a little bit of something for everyone.

The Jago hosts live music Wednesday-Sunday, every week. noisenights return to The Jago on Saturday 10 December 2022 (7pm + 9pm) with Brazilian guitarist Plínio Fernandes.

Download full press release and images here.

Contact our PR team here.