ISLINGTON’S folk music appreciation club will continue to host gigs in a pub in Highbury Corner after plans to turn the venue space into holiday let rooms were rejected.

In January, the Tribune reported that the Brewhouse and Kitchen was hoping to turn its upstairs function room into eight rooms-for-let. It would have meant the Islington Folk Club, which has hosted music nights at the pub since 2021, would be forced to find a new home.

But when the verdict came in, it was good news for the musicians. Islington’s planning team said no to the change, which would “result in the unjustified loss of existing operational public house floorspace” on a site that is not earmarked for visitor accommodation.

Folk Club treasurer Nick Moran told the Tribune it was “very definitely a win” for the group he has been part of for more than 20 years, which has had to relocate several times due to venue closures.

“There’s a lot of relief all round,” he said, adding: “Because of the way the space is, the size of it, the amount of wood, we don’t need a sound system, which makes it a great place for both experienced professionals and people who are trying singing in public for the first time.”

Islington Folk Club’s weekly events draw around 50 people, and include music by the house band – in which Mr Moran plays clarinet – and open mic slots for amateur musicians.

Islington Council planners said the changes to the building were unsuitable because there was insufficient wheelchair access, and no clear plan for how guests would be protected from pub noise.