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Walthamstow Trades Hall is a darling of E17. The not-for-profit venue has been at the heart of the local community for the past 100 years. Back in the day it was a meeting spot for local trade-union members. These days, it hosts everything from cabaret, karaoke and quizzes to queer line-dancing, Northern Soul all-dayers, comedy, choirs and international metal festivals.
The past two years have seen the hall go from strength to strength. In 2025, it was officially inducted as an Independent Venue Week venue, and earlier this year, it made it onto Time Out’s guide to the greatest indie music venues in the UK. But now, Walthamstow Trades Hall has fears over its future.
At the end of September, the venue posted on Instagram asking its community for a big favour. It revealed concerns that plans to build a five-storey block of flats on the site of the derelict petrol station opposite would lead to noise complaints from new residents and, ultimately, put the future of the venue at risk. At the time of posting, Walthamstow residents had less than 24 hours left to submit objections to the plans.
The proposals, submitted by Astro Development Ltd, are for one building with five one-bedroom flats, 10 two-bedroom flats and five three-bedroom flats. The trades hall said: ‘We are a busy working venue operating with a late license on Fridays and Saturdays. With many active events it’s very unlikely that this proposal would work well for either us or the potential residents.’
In a post a day later, it added: ‘We absolutely see the need for more housing in the area, but to erect flats in this position (next to a live events venue with a late license) feels unworkable for us and distressing for the potential new residents.’
There is hope that something called the Agent of Change principle will help the hall’s case, though. The principle states that a business or developer introducing new land is responsible for protecting future residents from the impact of noise from existing commercial spaces. According to Waltham Forest Echo, the council will consider the potential impact of noise as part of its assessment of the planning application, and says that measures such as sound insulation or restrictions on operating hours can be considered where noise could cause a conflict.
The deadline to submit an objection to the plans was on September 30, however the public can still send letters of objection to Waltham Forest Council.
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