Thousands sign petition to stop Dalston club Dance Tunnel closing
Dance Tunnel is housed in the basement of Voodoo Rays. Picture: Google Maps - Credit: Archant
Almost 5,000 people have signed a petition to stop the closure of underground Dalston club Dance Tunnel.
The popular venue announced on its Facebook page on Monday that it was being forced to shut its doors due to the “licensing climate” in Hackney.
Fans of the club have decided to act and a petition directed at Hackney Council has gathered 4,722 signatures already.
The council has said it is proud of the vibrant nightlife in the borough, but must balance the needs of businesses with the rights of locals to a good night’s sleep.
But the petition wants it go “re-review [sic] the legislation imposed on the Dance Tunnel”.
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It also wants the council to “consider the long term positive creative, cultural and economic value of London’s nightlife in any judgement” and “work with Dance Tunnel to find a workable, economically viable solution that balances the needs of the immediate local residents with the wider cultural value creative hubs bring to the borough.”
A statement on the council website said: “Dance Tunnel has a premises licence to operate until 3am. They have not applied to extend their opening hours for over two years. They have however been able to regularly operate until 5am using Temporary Event Notices.
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“Hackney Council values its vibrant and exciting nightlife, and we are proud of the borough’s reputation as a night-time destination.
“However, we need to balance the needs of businesses against the rights of our residents to a good night’s sleep, and as both our population and night time economy grow, that is becoming increasingly hard to do.
“In February we organised a meeting in Shoreditch with residents and business owners, to hear their opinions about how we can strike the right balance. We’ll be arranging other opportunities for people to have their say over the coming months, and this will feed into our licensing strategy.”
View the petition here.
