Neighbours hit out at Hackney Walk luxury fashion hub over pop-up parties and ‘deafening’ fire alarms
The new designer fashion hub in Hackney - Credit: Archant
London’s first “luxury outlet district” has riled neighbours with “a whole year of disturbance”, from “deafening” fire alarms going off randomly at “all hours of the day and night” to late-night pop-up parties.
The designer fashion hub Hackney Walk opened in a row of 12 reclaimed railway arches Morning Lane in June.
It boasts a plethora of brands from Anya Hindmarch handbags and Joseph clothes to sports retailer Nike.
But last Sunday an alarm went off at 3am in the morning and wasn’t switched off until eight hours later at 11am – an all-too-frequent occurrence according to residents of Mehetabel Road whose homes back onto the development.
On top of this, air-conditioning units positioned at the rear of the railway arches back right into their gardens and the constant “noisy mechanical hum” they generate forced many neighbours to abandon using their gardens altogether this summer.
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One, Donna Molloy, told the Gazette: “People are tired and feel that due consideration to the community isn’t being given.
“We aren’t opposed to the development and new shops and all that.
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“But it’s the lack of urgency with which they addressed our complaints that’s upset us.
“The alarms are blaring and you certainly can’t ignore them. People were grumpy and sleepless and frustrated at the lack of urgency in resolving the issue - we understand things go wrong but we’ve complained repeatedly.”
The fashion district concept was conceived by Hackney Council in 2011 following the London riots, when the Mayor’s Regeneration Fund invested £2m into Hackney as part of a plan to transform the worst affected parts of the capital.
A spokesman for Hackney Walk, which manages the development, said: “We are very concerned about any disturbance that may have been caused to our neighbours, and are working hard with our landlord and tenants.
“We will continue close dialogue with the local community to ensure these issues are resolved as soon as possible.”
