Hackney's iconic Moth Club, where Lady Gaga and Dave Grohl have performed, has been saved from closure after plans for a nearby development were rejected. The venue is celebrating its second victory of the year after Hackney Council turned down a planning application for flats adjacent to the music and comedy club.
After the council refused a planning bid for six private apartments on Morning Lane in March, officers blocked the same developer's proposal to build seven flats and a commercial unit directly next to the venue on Thursday. Campaigners had warned this could jeopardise the venue's future, dealing another blow to London's independent venue scene.
Noise complaint fears
General Manager Edie Kench-Andrews said the club faced being attacked on all sides if the council approved flats nearby. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that a rise in noise complaints from future neighbours could result in noise abatement notices being issued and lead to more restrictions on the venue.
A petition in support of Moth Club against the developments garnered over 36,000 signatures. It stated: "Complaints lead to conditions on the licence, and conditions on the licence are how grassroots venues close."
Council refusal grounds
Town hall planners refused permission on four grounds: noise impact, affordable housing provision, the effect on parking and traffic, and environmental sustainability. The application, from Ganatra, had failed to demonstrate that the proposed development would not give rise to undue noise and disturbance to future occupiers.
The bid also made no provision for affordable housing, leading planners to conclude the development would fail to adequately contribute towards the provision of mixed and balanced communities and housing needs in the local area.
Venue's history and support
Moth Club first opened in 1972 as an ex-servicemen's club for war veterans under the Memorable Order of Tin Hats. In 2015, it was taken over by local events agency LNZRT and revamped into a music and comedy space, distinguished by the stage's gold ribbon curtains and shimmering ceiling.
The club has continued to see servicemen come through its doors, according to the general manager, and its trades hall furnishings remain mostly intact. The campaign to safeguard its future was backed by artists including Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor and the band Amyl and the Sniffers. Founder Keith Miller also claimed Green Day, Lewis Capaldi and Tame Impala as supporters.
Following the council's decision, the club's organisers thanked the Mayor of Hackney, Zoë Garbett, and her cabinet colleagues for backing grassroots music in Hackney, as well as Cllr Laura-Louise Fairley and the Hackney Green Party. In December 2025, the council received over 27,000 emails from supporters pleading to protect the venue.
'Greatest party ever' promised
On behalf of the club, Miller thanked their supporters, the council and the planning department for its due diligence. "Of course, a massive thank you to everyone who crusades to support nightlife every single day. We couldn't have done it without Hackney Nights, Save Our Scene, the NTIA, and the Music Venue Trust for everything they've done for us," Miller and Kench-Andrews said in their statement to the LDRS.
Following the news, Miller and Kench-Andrews said the club would honour an earlier promise to throw "the greatest party Moth has ever witnessed". "We meant it. Watch this space," they said.
