Iconic Hackney venue Moth Club has been saved from property developers

Good news for lovers of live music, comedy and glittery curtains.

A planning application for a building next to Hackney’s Moth Club has been refused by Hackney Council. The proposal for six residential flats and a ground floor commercial building on Morning Lane next to the historic venue would have seriously threatened its future, but Moth Club has just shared an upbeat update on Instagram, which reads: 

‘Thanks to everyone who signed, shared and stood with Moth Club, the planning application for the building directly next to us has been refused! This is a huge win. We couldn’t have done it without your support.’

Over 30,000 people had signed a petition to support the independent Hackney venue, which first opened in 1972 as a traditional servicemen’s club (the name ‘MOTH’ comes from the ex-military personnel group known as the Memorable Order of Tin Hats, who still meet in the venue to this day).

In 2015, the building was given a gold-glittered makeover and swiftly gained a reputation for its excellent gig and comedy programming, and has become an absolute staple of the east London nightlife scene. Public support for the venue came from bands such as Amyl and the Sniffers, and public figures such as Jeremy Corbyn.

However, as Moth Club have stated, ‘the fight is not over,’ as there is another planning application in progress which means the future of the venue remains at risk.

When the planning applications were made in 2024, Moth explained that the proposals had been deliberately split into two applications ‘to avoid the obligation to include social housing… While we fully support the need for more social and council housing, building multi-story blocks towering over an independent venue like Moth would have devastating consequences for its future.’

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