The New Standard, 1 Blackhorse Lane, Standard Music Venue

A dedicated musical and cultural venue is set to return to Waltham Forest.

Following extensive public engagement and the granting of planning permission by Waltham Forest Council, the development at the former Standard pub site on Blackhorse Lane completed in June 2026. The scheme includes the space for the new basement music and cultural venue, with space for a bar and café and an audience of up to 500 people.

The nine-storey building provides 321 shared living rooms. The development is car-free, except for disabled parking provision, with cycle parking available for residents and visitors.

The scheme is an important gateway site to the Blackhorse Lane Creative Enterprise Zone with a landmark building designed by AHMM. The building also includes a small retail unit on Blackhorse Lane which will be operated by a local independent retailer. The retail unit will also hold events and programmes for the local community.

The venue incorporates a specialist ‘box-in-box’ structural acoustic design, allowing it to operate without impacting nearby homes or residents above.

The music venue has been completed by the developer and owner, Morro, as a requirement of the planning permission. The space must be used as a music venue. 

The music space has been delivered in warm shell condition, meaning the space is ready for internal fit-out.

The building owner is responsible for securing a venue operator. Morro is in discussions with a number of potential operators, including experienced national and international music venue providers.

Industry specialists have been involved in shaping the venue’s design and are now supporting the marketing of the space to potential operators.

The Council is supporting this process and working closely with Morro to help bring the venue forward by engaging with partners to secure the best possible operator for the venue. 

It is important to secure an operator with the right experience, financial capacity, and long-term vision to run a venue of this scale successfully. Taking the time to get this right will give the venue the best chance to thrive once it opens. 

There is no confirmed opening date at this stage. The timeline depends on securing an operator and completing the fit-out works. 

We will provide further updates as the venue progresses.