Key Points
- The New Blxck Ltd has submitted a licensing application for a new podcast studio at 10 Quaker Street, Shoreditch, East London, replacing a permanently closed existing studio.
- The Licensing Sub Committee of the local authority will discuss the application during this week’s meeting.
- The venue will primarily focus on podcast and media content production, with an associated event space for small-scale creative, cultural, and community events such as book discussions, live recordings, workshops, talks, film screenings, sporting events, and small private gatherings.
- The premises layout includes a 60 square metre open plan space at the front leading to a corridor with two toilets, plus three small studio rooms and a control room at the back.
- Alcohol supply will be strictly ancillary to events, provided only to attendees for on-premises consumption; music will consist of background music or small-scale performances, not the main focus.
- Operating hours are proposed from 9am to 11pm, with assurances of respect for the local community through policies on responsible alcohol management, noise control, and safeguarding.
- Objections include those from Kathy Driver, Principal Licensing Officer, citing numerous nearby licensed premises leading to potential nuisance, disturbance, and disorder, plus past noise complaints about the premises owners disturbing flat residents.
- The Authority may consider changing its policy due to the Brick Lane area’s saturation with licensed premises and notes the applicant has not sufficiently addressed disturbance prevention.
- Environmental Protection objects due to likely noise disturbance in the Brick Lane Cumulative Impact Zone, though the applicant counters that alcohol sales are limited, not alcohol-led, with noise control measures in place.
- Local residents, particularly parents with young families, have objected over concerns including noise and disturbance, safety and anti-social behaviour, parking and traffic issues, community impact, property values, and public health and cleanliness.
Shoreditch (East London Times) January 12, 2026 – The New Blxck Ltd’s application for a podcast studio and event space at 10 Quaker Street faces significant opposition ahead of this week’s Licensing Sub Committee meeting, amid concerns over noise, alcohol sales, and saturation in the Brick Lane area. The proposed venue aims to replace a closed studio with media production and occasional small events, but objections from officials and residents highlight risks to the local community. Authorities and locals question whether the site in the Cumulative Impact Zone can accommodate another licensed premises without exacerbating disturbances.
What Is The New Blxck Ltd Proposing for 10 Quaker Street?
The New Blxck Ltd plans to establish a podcast studio primarily dedicated to the production of podcasts and media content at 10 Quaker Street, Shoreditch. As detailed in the licensing application reported across local coverage, the venue includes an associated open-plan event space for small-scale creative, cultural, and community events. These events encompass book discussions, live recordings, workshops, talks, film screenings, sporting events, and small private gatherings.
The premises layout features a 60 square metre open plan space at the front, leading to a corridor with two toilets, followed by three small studio rooms and a control room at the back. This setup replaces a studio that has been permanently closed. Alcohol supply will remain “strictly ancillary to these events, provided only to attendees for consumption on the premises,” with music limited to background or small-scale performances, explicitly stated as “not the main focus of the venue.”
The application assures that the venue “will operate with respect for its local community, with appropriate policies in place to promote the licensing objectives, including responsible alcohol management, noise control and safeguarding.” Proposed hours of operation run from 9am to 11pm daily.
Why Is the Licensing Sub Committee Reviewing This Application?
The Licensing Sub Committee will deliberate on the application this week, as confirmed in initial reports on the proposal. This review comes in the context of the site’s location on Quaker Street, Brick Lane, within Tower Hamlets, an area known for its vibrant but challenged nightlife scene. The committee must weigh the venue’s creative ambitions against regulatory policies, particularly given the area’s designation as a Cumulative Impact Zone for licensed premises.
Local authority scrutiny focuses on whether the new licence aligns with existing policies that may refuse additional permissions due to saturation. Past incidents at the address, including noise complaints from owners disturbing residents in nearby flats, factor into the decision-making process.
Who Objects to the Podcast Studio and Why?
Kathy Driver, the Principal Licensing Officer on behalf of the Authority, objects to the application. As reported by MyLondon, she states that
“there are numerous licensed premises selling alcohol nearby, and this may cause more nuisance problems, disturbance and disorder.”
She added that the Authority will consider changing the policy of refusing new licences because the area is already saturated with licensed premises. Driver further noted that in the past there have been noise complaints about the owners of 10 Quaker Street, with residents of the flats having been disturbed, and that the applicant has not addressed measures to prevent disturbance to nearby properties.
Environmental Protection does not support the application due to the likelihood of noise disturbance to local residents and the premise’s location in the Brick Lane Cumulative Impact Zone. In response, the applicant argues that the studio will not add to the cumulative impact, as it is not an alcohol-led premise with limited sales, and noise control measures will be undertaken, with live and recorded music confined to applied hours.
Local residents have also submitted objections to the licensing department. Parents with young families expressed worries about noise and disturbance, safety and anti-social behaviour, parking and traffic issues, community impact and property values, and public health and cleanliness. These concerns underscore broader community fears over the venue’s integration into a residential-heavy zone.
How Does the Applicant Address Noise and Community Concerns?
The applicant counters Environmental Protection’s stance by emphasising that alcohol provision is ancillary and limited. They assert the premises is not an alcohol-led venue, with sales restricted to event attendees only. Noise control measures are promised, alongside confinement of live and recorded music to the proposed hours from 9am to 11pm.
Regarding past complaints, the application highlights operational policies to promote licensing objectives. These include responsible alcohol management, noise control, and safeguarding protocols designed to respect the local community. The replacement of a closed studio is positioned as a neutral or positive change, maintaining the site’s media focus without expanding alcohol-centric activity.
What Is the Brick Lane Cumulative Impact Zone and Its Relevance?
The Brick Lane Cumulative Impact Zone, as referenced in objections, designates an area in East London where new licensed premises face heightened scrutiny due to existing concentrations of bars, clubs, and alcohol outlets. This policy aims to mitigate cumulative effects like noise, disorder, and public nuisance. Kathy Driver’s objection ties directly to this, warning of exacerbated issues from another licence.
The applicant’s defence rests on distinguishing The New Blxck as media-focused rather than drinking-oriented, potentially exempting it from full zone restrictions. However, the Principal Licensing Officer’s concerns about unaddressed disturbances and policy shifts suggest the zone’s rules could sway the committee.
What Events Will the Studio Host?
The associated event space targets small-scale activities aligned with creative and community goals. Permitted events include book discussions, live podcast recordings, workshops, talks, film screenings, sporting events—such as watch parties—and small private gatherings. These are framed as occasional, secondary to the core podcast production function.
Music remains peripheral: background tracks or minor performances only, ensuring events do not evolve into late-night raves. Alcohol supports these gatherings modestly, consumed on-site by participants, reinforcing the non-commercial drinking model.
What Happens Next in the Licensing Process?
The Licensing Sub Committee meeting this week marks the critical juncture. No decision timeline beyond the discussion is specified, but outcomes could grant, refuse, or modify the licence with conditions like stricter hours or noise limits. Residents and officials’ submissions ensure robust debate.
Should approval occur, The New Blxck could launch soon, revitalising the shuttered space. Rejection might prompt appeals or revisions. The process exemplifies Tower Hamlets’ balancing act between cultural growth and resident wellbeing in Shoreditch’s evolving landscape.
