Former Wetherspoon's pub in Newham to be turned into community centre as council gives green light

The building was last used as a JD Wetherspoon pub
-Credit: (Image: Newham Council planning documents)


Plans to transform a former JD Wetherspoon pub into a community centre in Newham were given the green light by councillors on Monday night (September 23). Quwwat-Ul-Islam Society, a charity which provides Islamic education, had submitted plans to turn Hudson Bay on Upton Lane into a flexible community space and wanted it to be used by everyone 'regardless of age and faith'.

Quwwat-Ul-Islam Society is responsible for for Quwwatul Islam Masjid, which is also located on Upton Lane in Forest Gate. As there were technical issues with the webcast and this part of the meeting wasn't streamed, a Newham Council spokesperson confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the plans had been approved by the Local Development Committee on Monday night.

The pub closed its doors to the public in July 2023 after Wetherspoon's announced in September 2022 that it was selling the venue along with Miller's Well in East Ham. Under the plans, the former pub's ground floor and basement will be transformed to provide a community centre that plans to run every day of the week from 9am to 7pm.

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Inside the former Wetherspoons, which will be transformed into a community centre
Inside the former Wetherspoon's, which will be transformed into a community centre -Credit:Newham Council planning documents

Meanwhile some of the former beer garden is expected to be turned into an outbuilding with a Ghusl - an area to carry out religious cleansing rituals. The charity plans to host language classes, study groups, social clubs for the elderly, fitness classes, youth clubs, parent and toddler sessions, IT skills classes and vocational training.

The charity said the community centre is 'open to all', but especially to young people because of high levels of deprivation in the borough. A planning statement partially reads: "[The charity] is open to establishing employment and health hubs and [we] are working closely with Newham Money and the NHS.

"The facility is much needed especially within the South Asian community, but the aim is to offer facilities to all as the [charity] strongly believes in inclusivity. Currently the [charity's] organisation serves a very large South Asian community in the Forest Gate area, but the proposed community facility will also be available to the wider community."

Last year the charity set up a GoFundMe to buy the former pub and raised over £36,000. The fundraising page reads: "This new space holds immense potential to serve as a centre for social and educational activities for our community. This project is of paramount importance to our society because it signifies a powerful step forward in fulfilling our mission.

"Our organisation is driven by the desire to uplift and empower our community, and this new site will be the cornerstone of our efforts. It will provide a safe haven for individuals of all ages, where they can learn, grow, and find solace." The LDRS has contacted the fundraising page for further comment.

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