Hackney Empire wins payout from insurers Aviva

The Hackney Empire

The Hackney Empire has won a large payout from insurers Aviva following a long legal battle the theatre waged with financial support from Hackney-born Lord Sugar.

Claire Middleton, chief executive of the Edwardian playhouse in Mare Street, said the payout was of “enormous significance” as it would allow the venue to clear longstanding debts.

She added: “We would like to thank Rupert Choat at CMS Cameron McKenna and David Thomas QC for their tremendously skilful and determined handling of the case, and also Lord Sugar for his consistent generous support of the Empire and the litigation process.”

The Hackney Empire says it took on Aviva because the company denied it was liable to pay the full £1.1million of a bond plus interest after a building contractor working on refurbishments at the theatre went bust.

Rupert Choat of solicitors CMS Cameron McKenna said: “This was a David versus Goliath battle but we had a giant of our own fighting with us in the shape of Lord Sugar. Aviva lost at every stage and the theatre has obtained its maximum possible recovery. But the claim was within a whisker’s breadth of not being pursued. It only happened because of the no-win no-fee basis – an arrangement that new rules will prevent in the future.”

An Aviva spokesman said: “Following the court’s decision in March, we have already settled the principal amount of this claim.”