A SUCCESSFUL dance club owner is quitting Docklands after he was denied permission to stay open.

Cristiano Serioli claims he has had just two complaints from local people since 2006 about the Unit Seven club in Cable Street, Limehouse.

The venue has gained a cult reputation among clubbers and regularly attracted hundreds of revellers every weekend. But a shooting outside the nearby Club Red last year caused planning authorities to re-assess all nightspots in the area - with Unit Seven closed down almost immediately.

Tower Hamlets Council confirmed six unauthorised clubs had operated in the Cable Street area until last August and said the situation was untenable for local residents.

"We can appeal but we're paying rent still and don't know if we're going to open," said Mr Serioli, who has run the club for two and a half years. "What happened last year was a disaster but the fights never involved our customers. It created a bad record for the area and the planning office has decided there is a problem.

"To be honest we're all fed up and tired with this. It's a very hard job, and lately it's become impossible."

Unit Seven was transformed from a converted warehouse to become a focal point for London's underground music scene.

A petition was launched last year to keep it open, but the council refused planning permission and the Stop and Enforcement Notice remained.

A council spokesman said: "The continued operation of late night clubs and bars in this area, so close to residential occupiers, was not desirable and should be located in a town centre.

"Residents had been subject to noise and anti-social behaviour as a result of the unauthorised clubs and the benefits of allowing the clubs to operate did not outweigh the residential amenity concerns.

Story found here

I never got to go but heard lots of good things about it being a proper "back to basics" place to have a boogie...



shame

Was an awesome club. I consider myself very lucky to of actually had the chance to play there. A decent air conditioner and it could of been almost as good as Fabric. It's a big big shame

I feel very lucky to have been there on the last night it was open, it was one of the best nights out I had last year. Gaiser was amazing that night....

such a shame, rip unit 7 :-(

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I loved unit 7 :( its a travisty

ah prob find out that someone wanted him out to get the space for themselves. usually the way.

And there we go, yet another venue bites the dust. :(

:(

There must be some serious politics behind all this.... everything else in that area is operating as per usual aren't they?

obvious really Guns dont kill people they kill clubs!!!

In last week's Wharf paper there was a report that the owner of Club Red had applied for permission to use the venue as a lapdancing place upon re-opening. Due to the locals' opposition this idea got canned and from what I read it seems Tower Hamlets are just going to scrap clubs in the Cable Street area so as not to offend local residents.

(I'll post the link if I can find it although it may be down as it was last week's Wharf)

What, so all the clubs are going?! FFS

There are a few round there I want to go to! Better be quick.

I'm a fairly local resident to Limehouse and i have no issues with it. I never even got asked.

Councils give in to local residents far too much. Trouble is most young people don't bother voting and the councils will generally go with whatever the majority of voters want

who were the silent majority that complained then you think? must have been quite a lot of people in total.

The only legal venues in cable street where whipping house and the tranny one.

All the rest were listed AS factorys or art studio's with the local council not night clubs.

All the clubs cards were marked before the shooting because as they were in breach of agreement as they never had permission to be a club.

On the otherside of the wall opposite the U7 smoking area is a row of very nice terraced housing which i am sure cost a few bob and i know if i lived there i wouldnt want debauched degenerates like our selves chucking their ring,littering pissing and crapping on my doorstep,plus the unlicenced cabs etc.

Not too mention the reverberating banging beats that we all love.

If the venue owners had handled their bussiness properly in the first place then this could of all been avoided.

Had some highlights at unit 7, Zombies with Gerald and Colin Dale,minimal hospital and when DirtyBird came to town.FUCK! that was one hell of a friday night..

R.I.P Unit 7-x-