Vibe Bar To Close Down In Argument Over Licensing

Vibe Bar, long a feature of London's nightlife, is to close for good in a couple of weeks. The venue first opened from inside the Truman Brewery some 20 years ago. It spearheaded Brick Lane's time spent at the heart of bar/club land, with the area reaching a peak in the early 00s, when venues such as 93 Feet East, Big Chill Bar, Rhythm Factory and more all enjoying huge turn-outs and big name line ups. Since then, fortunes have changed substantially in the area, with 93 Feet East fighting constant noise abatement orders, and enduring one massive police raid, and Vibe Bar and Big Chill Bar both facing tougher and tougher sanctions from the local council. In a statement on the clubs website, owner Alan Miller blamed draconian laws for the venues closure –

"You may well see some press about recent issues in Brick Lane, & Tower Hamlets licensing. Indeed, we think that there has been an overly narrow minded and petty attitude of licensing and police that have imposed a curfew on anything beyond 1am – preventing later night temporary extensions (TEN’s) for bars, clubs and even restaurants! This ultimately affects all of you, the public."

"London is supposed to be an international city. Too many restrictions on what venues can do – and how they need to run and often provide policing services – are detrimental to UK business, creativity and recreation."

To see the final events lined up at Vibe Bar, head over to their website.