We Love Hackney - defend Hackney nightlife
We Love Hackney - defend Hackney nightlife
Latest: March 25, 2019
It's game on in Hackney!
After hundreds of you donated to our legal fund, our challenge to Hackney’s disastrous new anti-nightlife policy has won its first victory.
A judge has agreed that Hackney Council has a case to …
Hackney is the most exciting borough in the greatest city in the world. Hackney's incredible nightlife has brought jobs, culture and investment to our borough.
But this is under threat. Hackney Council’s new restrictions on nightlife penalise the small, local independent businesses that have made Hackney such a great place to live, in favour of big corporates and soulless chains.
We're bringing a legal challenge to stop the destruction of Hackney nightlife and so much of what makes our borough the dynamic exciting place it is to live. We need your help. Please contribute what you can but most importantly, SHARE this page on social media and with your friends, family and colleagues.
Who we are?
We Love Hackney is a group of local residents who came together to fight against new restrictions on nightlife. We are now a not-for-profit promoting, supporting and defending the night time economy in Hackney. We are speaking up for those residents who love local nightlife, or whose jobs depend on it.
Our challenge
From now on, Hackney are expecting new venues to stick to "core hours" of 11pm in the week and midnight at weekends, with no outside drinking after 10pm and no new venues at all in Dalston or a hugely expanded area of Shoreditch.
This will push up the value of licenses and freeze out new and independent businesses without deep pockets.
The council's own consultation showed that the overwhelming majority of Hackney residents are against the council's new restrictions - but councillors ignored this and voted to go ahead anyway. We are applying to judicially review this decision.
We believe Hackney Council failed to consider the impact on young people, who are more likely to use and work in the night time economy, or on the diverse range of venues that serve our LGBTQ+ and minority communities.
How much are we raising and why?
Our lawyers have indicated that we will need to raise up to £53,000 to be able to cover court costs, legal fees, and cost protection. Initially, we need to raise £20,000 to get our case moving but we will then need your support to share with friends, relatives and other friends of Hackney to get the word out about the campaign. Any money not spent on the legal case will be used to continue our campaign.
If you live in Hackney, work in Hackney, go out in Hackney, or love London's night time culture - this is the time to take a stand.
Please contribute now, share this page and back our campaign to keep Hackney diverse, independent and fun.
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We Love Hackney
March 25, 2019
It's game on in Hackney!
After hundreds of you donated to our legal fund, our challenge to Hackney’s disastrous new anti-nightlife policy has won its first victory.
A judge has agreed that Hackney Council has a case to answer - we can go forward to a full Judicial Review of Hackney’s decision and its impact on diversity and equality in the borough.
Before that, there is a second hearing on Wednesday 27 March on legal costs. So far, Hackney has spent much more they need to, in an effort to scare us off. But we’re not backing down in the face of these aggressive tactics.
Anyone should be able to challenge a council decision, regardless of whether they have deep pockets. The overwhelming majority of Hackney residents were against the new policy – which will disproportionately impact on new, small, independent businesses, and the diverse range of local people who visit and work in them.
If a clampdown on nightlife can happen in Hackney, it can happen anywhere. Together, let’s show that local people value our local nightlife and won’t give up without a fight.
Thank you for all your support so far – please follow us on Twitter for updates, and continue to share our CrowdJustice page.
We Love Hackney
Nov. 22, 2018
We hit our initial target - thank you!
A huge, huge thank you to everyone who donated to the first stage of our Crowd Justice campaign. Every single penny will go towards getting the council’s new nightlife policy overturned – and protecting the jobs, culture, independence and diversity that makes Hackney so special.
Hitting our £20,000 target will now allow us to get our case in front of a judge. If we get permission to progress to a full Judicial Review, we will need to raise more money towards our “stretch target” of £53,000.
We believe that the council were wrong, both legally and morally, in failing to consider the impact that restricting nightlife has on young people, LGBTQ+ communities and other minority groups. If we are successful, local authorities will have to consider everyone when planning their nightlife policies – not just older people and the more affluent.
We believe in this fight and will keep at it. Thank you again for helping us get this far!
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