Music duo Boys in the Taxi had to defend plans for a two-hour event on the pavement outside Hackney Wick Overground after Metropolitan Police officers objected
A music duo known for running DJ events out of a black cab have faced opposition from police over plans for a two-hour disco outside Hackney Wick station.
Boys in the Taxi, formed of DJ Boyblue and MC Dean C, have staged several performances playing garage, party anthems and club classics out of a Hackney carriage across east and central London.
The pair asked the Hackney Council permission to play on the pavement outside Hackney Wick Overground station between 20:00 and 22:00 on Saturday, November 14, but the Metropolitan Police moved to halt the event by serving a counter notice.
The Met cited concerns about noise nuisance, public safety and crowd dispersal in an “unrestricted public space” outside the station.
At a licensing hearing on Tuesday (November 3), PC Chris Stockman brought up a “similar event” held in September where officers and Hackney’s noise enforcement team were called out after receiving complaints.
PC Stockman said officers arrived to find “between 100 and 150 people” gathering by the musical taxi and blocking the highway. “That incident raised concerns regarding attendance levels, crowd management, use of public space and the potential for public nuisance,” he said.
DJ Boyblue, whose real name is Jason Richards, had asked for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) to allow a maximum of 400 people at any one time during the two-hour event.
“Police are particularly concerned that, once published, attendance may exceed the figures now suggested,” PC Stockman said. In that event, this could lead to overcrowding, obstructing the surrounding area, and an “increased likelihood of nuisance affecting residents and businesses,” the constable argued.
Though the applicant had supplied the Met with more information since the counter notice, PC Stockman said he was still not satisfied that enough safeguards were in place.
Mr Richards told councillors he was not planning for 400 people standing in the crowd at one time, which would be “about 100 people, maybe 120”.
He added that when officers had turned up to the performance held on September 19, the event had already finished “dead on 10pm”.
Turning to the proposed street disco on November 14, Mr Richards said: “If for any reason it looks like it’s getting out of hand or rowdy, we will just stop the music and disperse the crowd. But that has never happened. We’ve never had any trouble whatsoever. Whoever’s turned up has turned up with good spirits,” he said.
Boys in the Taxi have previously staged events in Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus and Hackney. Videos from the group’s social media claim to show over a dozen police officers being called out to one of their events held outside Boxpark Shoreditch in April 2025.
“We don’t make any money, we just do it for love. We enjoy doing what we do,” he told the committee. “You’re always going to get one or two complaints, no matter what you do. As far as safety is concerned, if there are any issues we’ll drop the music, turn it off and stop what we’re doing.”
Hackney Licensing Committee decided on Friday (November 6) that the event could go ahead as planned.
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