An event space regarded as a leading venue in London’s jazz scene has been hit with a closure order for allegedly selling alcohol without a licence.

Total Refreshment Centre which opened in Foulden Road, Stoke Newington, in 2012, broke the news to its fans on Facebook, with bosses saying on Thursday they had some “bad news”.

“As of this week we won’t be having events at TRC for a little while,” they wrote. “The council has issued us with a notice of closure. We will know more in the coming weeks, but for now we’re going to stay quiet.”

A second statement said: “We are very keen to work with the council and all relevant authorities to make TRC the very best place that it can be. This is not a case of ‘Us’ versus ‘Them’.

Hackney Council, responding to a tweet calling them “d***heads”, wrote: “It’s not shut down but is under investigation for allegedly selling alcohol without a licence.”