Much-loved Bethnal Green arts space no longer for hire from 2012.
Update!
Right, it looks like we may have got the wrong end of the stick on this one. Rochelle School is not, repeat NOT, closing in 2012. Hopefully it's not closing ever. After notifications from @london_journo on Twitter and Martin Cohen from Rochelle Canteen, we decided to investigate.
We've now spoken to Mike Carney and the truth is that Rochelle School is closing its hire venue capabilities. The studio and canteen will remain open but the Club Row space will, from 2012, no longer be available for hire.
There are still slots available though so if anyone is looking for a wicked space to hold an art exhibition or other cool event, you should email info@rochelleschool.org.
We hope that's cleared things up, and we apologies for any confusion!
Anyone who follows Cathedral of Shit – and if you're involved in the art world you really should – will have been aware for a while now that the future of Rochelle School has been in doubt. But now it's official: Rochelle School will close in 2012.
The sister venue of the multi-purpose studio/gallery/café space – A Foundation in Liverpool – has already announced that it will be closing, but now the London branch, situated in a cluster of Victorian buildings on Arnold Circus in Bethnal Green, is to close too.
The news follows the recent refusal by the Development Committee Members of the local council to grant planning permission for continued use of the very popular Rochelle Canteen, run by Arnold and Henderson independently of Rochelle School. Even though apparently the application was supported by the actual planning Department, the grounds given for refusal were:
1. Overlooking impacts
2. Amenity impacts noise and disturbance
3. Character of the Boundary Estate/Conservation Area and
4. Unacceptable level of anti-social behaviour.
So it's a double-whammy of sad news for an area already losing its unique character by the day.
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