LONDON (CelebrityAccess) — The Borough of Hackney, located in the heart of London, has implemented a new policy that may take a bite out of the district’s nightlife by imposing strict curfews on any new nightspot that open in the borough.
The new policy was implemented by a unanimous vote during a council meeting on Wednesday and comes at the recommendation of Hackney’s Licensing Committee.
The policy includes a “core hours” clause which stipulates that new nightclubs and restaurants in Hackney must close by 11 pm on weekdays and midnight on weekends.
“Hackney has a fantastic nightlife. Our bars, clubs, restaurants, and theatres are known across London and the world, and as a Council, we are proud to champion the businesses that make such a contribution to our borough. However, as it has grown, it is becoming more and more difficult to manage and to strike a balance between supporting our late night venues and the needs of residents who live amongst them,” said Councilor Emma Plouviez, Hackney Council’s Licensing Chair.
The Council was careful to note that the new provisions did not apply to existing businesses in the borough and affirmed their commitment to ‘fully support our nightime economy,” Councilor Caroline Selman, who has oversight over community safety said in a social media post.
According to the Hackney Citizen, the measure was passed despite vocal and widespread public opposition to the plan. Opinion polling indicated that 73 percent of the 680 respondents were opposed to the new policy, the Citizen reported.
A public interest group We Love Hackney, objected to the measure, stated that the new licensing rules are incompatible with Hackney’s “world-wide reputation for its vibrant, diverse nightlife”.
In an open letter, published before the council meeting on Wednesday, the group suggested that the policy was a “gift to big corporates and risks turning Shoreditch into a bland replica of Leicester Square.”
