#savetheyard

The Yard 16/06/2017

Historic Soho Yard and Stables needs your help to stop new development opposite Madame JoJos.

 

The Yard bar and restaurant in Rupert Street is fighting development plans to cover the hugely popular, picturesque and last remaining Victorian open stable yard in Soho and dig down to create a large new basement.  The developer is also keen to build three new flats over the bar and an historic timber pitched roof would be lost.

The Yard, which is independently run, has been given just a week’s notice that Westminster City Council intends to give the plans approval at a committee meeting next Tuesday, 27 January.  The Yard needs your support to help stop this development.

The Yard is a popular part of Soho’s culture that caters for the area’s residents, workers, tourists and the LGBT community. The building has been recognised by Westminster Council as an unlisted building of merit. However, the new development would see it close and another independent trader would be lost from the area permanently. The new restaurant and flats would be sold to the highest bidder and another generic big brand name would replace this magical getaway within the bustling streets of Soho.

 

The Yard has received support from customers, local councillors, residents and businesses.  They need more help to make sure Westminster City Council’s planning committee know how unpopular a decision to redevelop 57 Rupert Street would be.

Local Councillor Jonathan Glanz has come out in support of The Yard, saying:

“The proposals would be an unacceptable intensification on the site, would see customers forced out onto a busy thoroughfare to smoke creating a nuisance and would damage the local Conservation Area. There are very few places where customers can enjoy a drink and smoke away from the busy streets of Soho. Westminster seeks to preserve the culture of Soho and that doesn’t mean there should be no development, but its got to enhance the area.”

Please email Westminster City Council at [email protected] and quote 14/04624/FULL to object to the application.

Twitter – make sure people know how you feel @Yard_Soho @CityWestminster @JonathanGlanz   #savetheyard

 

Advertisement

20 COMMENTS

  1. I remember this yard from years back when I very first moved to London – before half of you were born. We are losing so much of our past for the shortterm gain of a few. Please stop this happening: once destroyed, it is another bit of real London gone for good

  2. Please do not remove from the soho area another piece of its history. The Yard has stood for a long time and been a great contributor to the ambiance of the area. It would be a great shame indeed if it wnet the same way as Madam Jo Jo and became yet another restaurant with flats above it. There are already so many saturating the soho area offering every different kind of food. Is there really need for one more of the same!?!

    I urge you think again and think hard before Soho becomes just another high street and all that made it great through the many years is washed away.

    Also, it is for most gay people an area where they can go and feel safe from harm, something you can not always find in the suburban areas.

  3. save the yard open space and save the vibe of wonderful soho
    London needs places with history and charm or dare I even say some roughness and soul – and not just places to live

    Save the yard

  4. Westminster Council please think again!!! This is crazy. It is destructive architecturally, stupid commercially, and damaging to the community. Have you considered your public sector equality duty? Or the need to protect a community/culture that is fast disappearing from Soho? I’m not a big barfly but The Yard is the one place I do love and always come back to. Feeling uncharacteristically outraged and combative about this. Please listen to the people who are petitioning on this.

  5. We have already lost other LGBT venues due to decisions by Westminster Council. This would be outrageous if another popular LGBT venue went. Gentrification and somewhat discrimination of the tallest order. This is a well loved building and venue in Soho. London day by day is losing its character and is devastating to see.

  6. This is really getting a bit much – you are destroying every last bit of our historic and iconic community purely for greed……. PLEASE STOP!

  7. I have had great memories here. Birthdays, private events also corporate events etc as well at this place! It’s also a unique bar that I like using and relaxing away from soho!

  8. The Yard Bar is own of Soho’s nicest venues and iconic to the London LGTB scene. Doing anything to change this will be a massive blow to both the customers and the surrounding area. Do we really want a few more flats and a basement over genuine culture? What would that say about London?

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here