The owner of a world famous London nightclub has just announced that he will go to arbitration in a rent dispute with the landlords. Jeremy Joseph, owner of Heaven, one of the capital’s biggest and most famous gay clubs, has released a statement revealing the problems he has faced with The Arch Company – the landlords.
He claimed Heaven’s rent was automatically increased last September by £80,000. But according to him, The Arch Company is now seeking a further £240,000.
Despite fighting it for the past five months and claiming to have spent almost £10,000 in legal fees, Jeremy Joseph has revealed he will now go to arbitration. In a post published on his Instagram account, he said: “I have decided to make public what has happened to our landlords.
“The last five months have been extremely stressful. Last September Heaven had an automatic rent increase of £80,000 but it was not enough for (The Arch Company) who want another £240,000 on top.
“That’s a total increase of an extra £320,000 a year. We’ve been fighting them for five months and they’re not willing to back down so it’s going to arbitration and has already cost us nearly £10,000 in legal fees.
“Looking at how so many venues have closed or are struggling due to rent increases, I’m going public with this and letting everyone know what we’re going through, it’s been extremely stressful and the fight is just beginning because it’s time to put the public pressure on This is not just about heaven, this is about every hospitality venue, because if our rent goes up, it will raise the rent of other venues, because in arbitration, they use other comparable rents to value yours.
“Please support, because we are not the only place at risk because of landlords. It’s time to fight back and protect hospitality, because many places have closed, including GAY Late.”
More than half of London’s LGBTQ+ venues have also closed their doors between 2006 and 2022, the BBC reported. The number fell from 125 to 50, with facilities citing the cost of living crisis and rising rents as reasons for their closure, according to a study by the Greater London Authority.
A spokesperson for The Arch Company said: “Heaven is a long-term and valued customer and we have worked closely with them to reach an agreement on the market rent for their premises. Unfortunately we have not been able to agree this between us and therefore an independent third party now appointed to help resolve it.”
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