Shoreditch art gallery Jealous warned over rooftop sign

Hackney Council says the gallery does not have planning permission for the letters

An east London art gallery has been warned the large letters spelling its name that are displayed on its roof will have to be removed unless planning permission is obtained.

However, Hackney Council told Jealous art gallery in Shoreditch that it was unlikely it would issue retrospective permission for the lettering.

The letters have been on the roof of the building for nearly a decade.

A petition to save the sign has gathered more than 1,000 signatures.

The gallery's manager Rachel Buffey said she was "devastated" and that the sign had been "a landmark in Shoreditch for almost a decade".

A council spokeswoman said: "The council takes its responsibility seriously in protecting the heritage and character of our borough's conservation areas."

She confirmed that a complaint about the letters had been lodged earlier in the year.

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