Jack the Ripper museum refused planning permisssion for black shop-front and security shutter

Controversial Ripper Museum in Cable Street (Image: Mike Brooke)

The appeal to keep the sombre fascia sign depicting the serial killer and the roller shutter installed after protesters smashed the window last summer, which were not in the original planning application, was dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate.

The owners were initially granted permission by Tower Hamlets council for a women’s heritage museum in Cable Street—but instead they opened a tourist attraction glorifying the 1888 Whitechapel Murders.

It lead to protests by women’s groups backed by the Bishop of Stepney and the Mayor of Tower Hamlets who is now moving to enforce the removal the controversial Ripper sign.

“I received countless letters since this so-called ‘museum’ opened,” Mayor John Biggs said. “We were promised a museum telling the story of East End women and their historic and cultural f contributions—but instead got something glorifying a serial killer.”

Vandalised with black paint... Suffragette billboard in Cable Street, opposite Jack the Ripper museum (Image: 38 Degrees)

He wrote to the Culture Secretary to raise the issue and has now welcomed the planning appeal being refused—but “regrets the tourist attraction itself is to remain”.

The East End Women’s collective opened its alternative exhibition on Friday at St George’s Church nearby in The Highway, Shadwell. It highlights women’s achievements in east London’s history which is what the Ripper museum owners had promised in their original planning application which they failed to carry out.

Their billboard in Cable Street opposite the Ripper venue advertising the alternative exhibition was systematically vandalised the day after it was unveiled last week.