The Light keeps shining in battle against bulldozers—for time being

10 December 2008

DEVELOPERS have settled the dispute involving the popular Light bar at Norton Folgate in London's City Fringe that's under threat from bulldozers-but it may have to shift out of the way.

An out-of-court agreement has been reached by Hammerson's developers with the company occupying the historic former Great Eastern Railway electricity station at 233 Shoreditch High Street, now converted to a bar, ahead of a High Court case due next Thursday.

A battle to save The Light has been waged since the beginning of the year by campaigners and MP George Galloway whose constituency boundary touches the four-million sq ft Bishops Place proposal.

The agreement reached this week allows The Light to remain while talks begin to find an alternative location in the same area.

Hammerson's recognized The Light as a popular venue and now agreed its 50 staff continue at the location until an alternative is found, the company said.

Hackney Council deferred a planning decision on the skyscraper in August, following a bitter campaign by objectors, to allow developers time to see if the bar could be incorporated into the scheme.