Télé Bruxelles · 2001

Télé Bruxelles: StudioLive Who's Who's Land — Carl De Moncharline

In 2001, Télé Bruxelles reported on the battle of Who's Who's Land, rebranded StudioLive. Sanctioned by an environmental permit imposing a 3 a.m. closure following neighbour complaints and a lack of insulation, the venue won its case before the Environmental Board: closing time was pushed back to 4 a.m. For Carl De Moncharline, this decision was a legal and psychological victory. The reversal came as the local political landscape shifted: Henri Simons' Ecolo party joined the new municipal majority, possibly bringing more flexibility to the case. The City, however, retained an appeal to the regional government led by former mayor François-Xavier de Donnea, now head of the Brussels executive. Henri Simons warned he would only use that lever if the insulation works were called into question. This archive illustrates the political power struggles and the management of Brussels nightlife in the early 2000s.