Harmony Hall in Truro Road will shut on Friday 27th March after its owners said it would no longer offer CREST, the charity which manages the site, a below market rate rent, reports Marco Marcelline
Walthamstow’s Harmony Hall is set to close on Friday, 27th March after its owner imposed a 163% rent increase on the charity which manages the site.
In November 2025, Shaftesbury Group, the sole trustees of Harmony Hall freeholder Marsh Street Mission (MSM), raised the annual rent CREST pays them from £24,700 to £65,000.
CREST informed Shaftesbury Group that it would cease operating the hall, pending a six-month follow-on lease to ensure an orderly transition for the many groups and clubs who pay CREST to use the space.
CREST provides various support services for people with mental health issues, and a day service for older adults with disabilities or dementia. These services will still continue as CREST does not use Harmony Hall for them.
Speaking to the Echo, CREST’s operations director Chris O’Sullivan said the charity “could not justify passing on such a big rent increase to Harmony Hall users”.
Harmony Hall is used as a base for exercise classes, religious groups, and theatre clubs, and it has a weekly footfall of 900 people.
Chris said: “We’ve been here since 1999 and it’s a shame but there was no other option for us but to leave Harmony Hall; there was no way users could have afforded such a steep rent increase.”
Shaftesbury Group said: “We recognise the valuable community services CREST provides. CREST has been occupying Harmony Hall at a rent significantly below the market level.
“Formal guidance from the Charity Commission and our legal advisors has made it clear that the trustee is required to ensure that MSM’s assets are let at a market rent. The trustee cannot continue to lease the property at a subsidised rate.
“We remain committed to fulfilling our duties as trustee and ensuring the charity’s assets are managed appropriately.”
The Echo understands numerous parties have expressed interest in the site since it went on the market, with viewings taking place since the start of the year.
Harmony Hall was previously subject to a long-drawn out sale attempt by its owners that ultimately failed.
And in 2023, owners MSM attempted to get the Charity Commission to lift the building’s covenant that states it must be used for Christian purposes, in a bid to sell it on to private developers.
At the time, it was argued that Harmony Hall was “not used primarily and overtly for Christian mission purposes”.
The Charity Commission however eventually ruled in favour of CREST and the covenant was not lifted.
In a statement on their website announcing Harmony Hall’s closure CREST said: “It is with regret that after 27 years of running the building, [we have] made the difficult decision to close Harmony Hall.
“The last day the centre will be open for users will be Friday 27th March. The charity regrets having made this decision, one that is sadly unavoidable due to the landlords increasing the rent beyond a level that is affordable, and as such, cannot be passed onto any existing or prospective hirers.
“Therefore, we have no alternative but to render our tenancy. The CREST management committee and staff wish to extend their gratitude to all the building users who have used the premises over a great many years and wish them well for the future.”
Find out more about CREST and Harmony Hall here
No news is bad news
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.
More information on supporting us monthly or annually
More Information about donations
