Concerns the ‘bad old days’ will return to Clapton as new live music venue gets go ahead

Proposed site for Hackney Arts Club: 243 Lower Clapton Road. Photograph: Google Maps

Councillors fear a “late night destination bar” and music venue in Lower Clapton approved last week by Hackney Council will spark more crime and anti-social behaviour in the area formerly known as ‘murder mile’.

Hackney Arts Club, to be situated opposite BSix College at 243 Lower Clapton Road pending planning permission, describes itself as “a contemporary arts and music space/gallery showcasing an array of arts in various styles”.

The venue had originally applied to sell alcohol and play live and recorded music until 4am, but following concerns from police and residents the council granted a licence until midnight on Friday and Saturday, and 11.30pm all other days.

In a joint statement, Councillor Ian Rathbone and Councillor Rick Muir said: “We can’t have a drinking establishment or any ‘late night destination bar’ open till four in the morning in a residential area, and only a few yards away from BSix College’s entrance.

“In the recent past we had a huge problem with late night drinking, with noise nuisance, anti-social behaviour, high crime rate and even murder. Clapton does not want this or need this ever again.”

Owner Tunde Aroun, a Hackney resident who also owns The Love Shake on Kingsland Road, rejects the idea that Hackney Arts Club will be a “destination bar”, as it only has a capacity of 50.

He said: “We were going to run classes, mainly focused on music production, training people in how to produce, arrange and perform using software. Then those students that we train could perform in a live environment.

Given the licensing restrictions, Mr Aroun is now rethinking plans to train DJs at the venue.

He added: “You try to do a good deed and you get kicked in the teeth. I’ve got another project in Shoreditch which is another prime location and is going to require quite a bit of an investment, and I could just get on with that.”

Councillor Rathbone, who is also the chair of the Clapton Pond Neighbourhood Action Group, is concerned licensing hours in Clapton are expanding, and plans to hold a public meeting on the subject.

He said: “We don’t want a Dalston here quite frankly. We need to be prepared to sort it out before it gets too much.”