A campaign has been launched to save the Comedy Cafe in Shoreditch.

Following yesterday's sad news that the venue is closing after 26 years because promoter Noel Faulkner was outbid on the lease a petition has been set up here by Ola The Comedian, who says "The Comedy Café is the first club that gave me a shot at becoming a professional Stand-Up Comedian.  This is the story for so many of the comedy stars in this country today.  The club is woven into the fabric of the UK comedy circuit.  It was proudly in Shoreditch before it became trendy to be there and is much more important than just another watering hole. All we ask is that the new lease owners who won their bid for the venue, simply keep the Comedy Café as a purpose-built comedy club with real integrity and just offer the current owner a fair deal to do so."

Comedian Alistair Barrie has also suggested that recently appointed nightlife Tzar Amy Lame, who knows the area well, should get involved. And Jojo Smith wrote on Facebook: "The Comedy Cafe opened when Shoreditch was a bomb site, most of the comedy people on our TVs and in our cinemas got a break there, or drank there or something. This is a site of historical importance. Saddiq Kahn should be on this!"

Noel Faulkner is currently looking for another venue nearby, but with the recent gentrification of the area it may not be easy to find a new location for this legendary club at an affordable price.

Sign the petition here.