Artists at the Candid Arts Trust in Torrens Street, Angel

ARTISTS say their livelihoods have been put at risk by a noisy development.

Those who have rented studios from the Candid Arts Trust in Torrens Street, Angel, say that the constant jack-hammering from the Angel Square Development just across the street is making their businesses untenable.

“It’s absolutely awful,” said Constanza Isaza, a printmaker who has had a studio with the trust for 15 years. “I used to run group workshops and I used to teach, but I can’t do that any more. I can’t hold a conversation in the studio any more, so I can’t run workshops.”

The Angel Square development involves the partial demolition of a building to create office space, as well as a public house. Candid Arts Trust – a self-funded charity that rents studio space to artists, has exhibitions and space for classes, and runs a cafe – has recorded decibel readings of 96 generated by the work, and say they’re at risk of closure because artists are giving up their studios and they can’t run commercial events because of the noise disruption.

They say they want compensation from the developers to make up for lost business, or they’ll have to shut their doors.

Deborah Allwright, who designs children’s picture books, has had a studio there for 25 years but fears she’ll have to move soon if nothing changes.

“There are 10 of us in the studio, but we’re losing people because they can’t continue working and listening to this. In order to make it affordable, we need that amount of people there to make up the rent, and now we can’t get new people in,” she said.

She added: “We’ve been here so long because it’s a lovely place to work. It’s a great environment with lots of creatives in the same space. You don’t want to lose these places, but especially for this reason, it’s total madness.”

Ms Allwright says that often you can feel the windows and tables in the studio vibrating from the noise. Other staff in the trust have filmed glasses of water shaking on the cafe’s tables.

Xavier Young has a studio that faces the construction. “It’s made it impossible to be in [the studio] for more than two days consecutively. After that you really are screaming, or crying,” he said.

Debs Parkington says the works have “changed the whole atmosphere of the studio”.

“On a daily basis it’s so noisy that you can’t concentrate, and even with headphones on you can still feel the vibrations,” she said.

A spokesperson from Islington council said: “Our specialist construction monitoring officers regularly visit and inspect the Angel Square site to make sure that they are meeting their obligations and stick to the restrictions placed upon the site by the council.

“Officers are also in regular contact with Candid Arts to assess the impact of the development as well as working to limit the effect on neighbouring residents and other local businesses. We will be in touch with Candid Arts again to see how we can help.”

A McLaren spokesperson said: “This is a well-managed site where work is being carried out strictly in line with a construction management plan and in agreement with Islington Council.

“Our sensitive noise monitoring equipment tells us that we are working comfortably within maximum noise levels.

“We have restrictions on when we can carry out noisy activities and the maximum volume of noise that is acceptable.

“Neighbours have two-hour periods every two hours throughout the day when they can schedule noise-sensitive activities. Our restrictions have been adjusted to meet some of the concerns of local people following meetings with them.”

Developers Tishman Speyer declined an invitation to comment.