On 31.01.15 people are meeting in East London and South London to march on Boris in City Hall to demand better homes for Londoners and an end to the housing crisis:
Control rents Hands off council housing Stop demolition of quality council homes Affordable and secure homes for all Cut rents not benefits End Bedroom Tax and welfare caps Build new council houses Better pay & conditions, better housing services No scapegoating immigrants No racist landlord checks
The East London march is led by community campaigns from across the area including Focus E15. The route is from Shoreditch via Brick Lane to the Mayor's Office at City Hall.
The March for Homes is supported by hundreds of groups and individuals including Unite Housing Workers, People's Assembly (London), Defend Council Housing, DPAC, Generation Rent, St. Mungo's Broadway, Hackney Digs, Tower Hamlets Renters, the Focus E15 campaign and many more. www.marchforhomes.org/sponsors
12 Bar 26 Denmark St community celebration tonight fri 30th successful bailiff resistance.7pm onwards open mic/jam with 52 commercial rd,rob rub,sarah bear.squat all stars #bohemians4soho network it
CAMPAIGNERS occupying Soho’s 12 Bar Club in protest against the gentrification of London’s famed Tin Pan Alley were threatened with eviction yesterday.
Papers were served at noon as members of the group Bohemians 4 Soho were preparing a communal lunch.
Occupiers Thomas Magar, Danny Gardner and “Ninja” explained that the support of musicians once connected to the street would be a great help to the campaign.
Adele, Damien Rice, Keane and Jeff Buckley all played at the venue on their way to stardom, while the club has also been a key player on the alternative music circuit.
“It would be good to get all the celebrities behind it because it would also highlight that this is happening all over Britain, for corporate greed rather than social need,” the occupier asking to be named as “Ninja” told the Star.
“It’s the way they do it — on the surface everything looks OK, but when you look behind their modus operandi to get what they want it’s cut throat.
“These guys are pirates, they are vampires, it’s just disgusting.”
Ninja then mentioned a local businessman whose efforts to resist relocation had granted him a gagging order.
Mr Magar added that when the Bohemians approached other small businesses in the area most were afraid to publicly show their support.
Earlier this month the 12 Bar Club relocated to Islington leaving its historic premises after being intimidated by property developers Consolidated Developments.
The next day the group took over the venue setting up music events, workshops and a social centre.
Music was banned shortly after the start of the occupation by an injunction, but guitars can still be seen scattered across the rooms of the 12 Bar.
“Anyone here who plays music is subject to arrest,” said Mr Garder.
Bailiffs are expected to come to Denmark Street at 12.30pm today to confront the collective of artists and activists who volunteered as “cultural heritage wardens, in order to prevent the disillusion of culture from our history.”
Bohemians 4 Soho have vouched to stay until forcefully removed from the premises.
Change is grindingly inevitable, and there’s not much point in fighting it. Areas you love get bulldozed, music venues close, society changes, the way we spend our time changes, the way we interact with the world changes. We adapt, we move on, and the revolution or the party or whatever, finds somewhere else to happen. It always does. Some changes, though, hurt more than others.
The redevelopment happening around Tottenham Court Road station in London is one that really stings, and not just because the quest for a posher looking train station has already taken two of the capital’s most endearingly grimy venues from us, in the Astoria and the Metro. Last week those changes finally rumbled further south, as the much-feared renovation of Denmark Street began.
Nicknamed Tin Pan Alley (because streets sound cooler when you name them after bits of New York), the 100-yard stretch right on the lip of Soho was, once upon a time, the centre of the UK music industry. The NME (or to give it its full title at the time ‘The Musical Express, incorporating Accordion Times’) and Melody Maker both had their early offices on the street, most of the major music publishing and management companies of the 50s and 60s were based there and the strip housed recording studios put to use by the Kinks, the Rolling Stones and Elton John. Bowie spent the 60s sipping coffee in the La Giocondo cafe, the Sex Pistols rehearsed at number 6 and, probably best of all, two of Bananarama actually lived there in the late 70s. Of course that’s the distant past – the managers, magazines and labels long ago moved on (though the Pistols left some grafitti to remember them by and since the 90s Denmark Street has been a promenade of near-identical guitar shops. We probably didn’t need all of them, but that’s not the point.
This was a tiny corner of London that retained its personality and escaped the signs of soft corporate power that pervade almost every other high street in the land – no chain stores or branded coffee shops, no Subways or McDonalds, and unlike the traditional “alternative paradise” of Camden High Street, no “I Heart London” keyrings, faux-wooden iPhone covers and badges saying “free the weed”. Admittedly all of that can be found just round the corner on Charing Cross Road, but its absence here felt meaningful. The big players may have moved out, but Denmark Street remained a bastion of the city’s genuine alternative culture, and one of the shrinking islands of central London that didn’t seem designed exclusively for tourists, hipsters or rich people, where musicians, metalheads, rockabillys, punks and indie kids, old and young, still felt at home. Central to this, at least until last week, were the 12 Bar Club and Enterprise Studios.
Held after the March for Homes demo, a community-led radical participatory discussion hosted by Brick Lane Debates & Occupy Democracy, with:
FOCUS E15 LEWISHAM HOMELESS PERSONS UNION LOVE ACTIVISTS UNITE COMMUNITY HACKNEY DIGS OUR WEST HENDON LISA MCKENZIE - author 'Getting By - Estates, Class & Culture.' SAMIR JERAJ - journalist and campaigner.
Venue close to the March for Homes rally at City Hall, SE1 - location announced on the day, check @BrickLDebates & www.facebook.com/bricklanedebates for updates.
Discuss what's next after the demo. Where are we going to live? How can we build a mass radical movement for better housing?
** All welcome! Food & drink will be available! **
The March for Homes on 31.01.15 is demanding an end to the housing crisis and better homes for London. There are two 'legs' starting in East and South London, which meet to protest together and rally at City Hall.
12 Bar the last stand final gigs over this weekend,52 commercial rd band Friday eve,playing and many more network it.keep the music playing viva the resistance
World famous 12 bar 26 Denmark st Tot court rd tube under threat of IPO eviction from 12 noon fri30 people barricading in for continuos music fest and outside street party.bring instruments and rigs.also march for Homes sat jan31 network it
Tenants, trade unionists and housing campaigners plan to march on City Hall in London, calling on Boris Johnson and councils to build thousands of council homes, control private rents and stop the threatened demolition of homes on more than 50 estates.
The March for Homes on 31 January, bringing together campaigners from all over London, seeks to put pressure on politicians to address the lack of affordable homes in the capital while developers target foreign investors with luxury apartments.
“Developers are having a field day in London and politicians are paving the way for them,” said Eileen Short, chair of Defend Council Housing and a co-organiser of the march. “We need affordable and secure housing and that should be the starting point – not how many unaffordable rabbit hutches to build to boost council revenues. Political decisions are allowing this to happen and this needs to change.”
Supporters of the march include the Labour MPs Diane Abbott, John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn and Ken Loach, the film director, who made the 1966 TV play Cathy Come Home, about a family who lose their home and face a life of poverty. Campaigners say more than 344,000 people are on council waiting lists with the average house price 16 times the average Londoner’s salary, leaving expensive, insecure and often poor quality private renting as the only option for a quarter of Londoners. Marchers are to assemble at St Mary’s Churchyard at Elephant and Castle or Shoreditch Church at midday and then proceed to City Hall.
Around Occupy st pauls time ,we occupied the Bank of Ideas
The UBS Hitlers bankers tried to injunction us to kick us out to bypass the usual court procedure, we kicked their ass in appeal court and got some of this ruling made.....
Sun st vs persons unknown
Procedural points
Since the decision in Sun Street, the courts
are less willing to abridge time for service
of possession proceedings and require that
very clear notice is given to protesters of
orders made and hearings scheduled, in
order to allow them the time and
opportunity to prepare a case. It now
appears to be good practice on service to
draw express attention to contact
telephone numbers and key details in a
covering letter or at least in a document
capable of being easily identified amongst
a larger bundle of court papers.
Squatted 12 Bar IPO today we have 2-3 days before eviction attempt callin all musicians,barricaders Denmark st fest of resistance street party is on.network it
Well Grounded Drop-in support space for activists- sustain your action from the inside - http://wellgrounded.org.uk/
Hi,
Just letting you know about the Well Grounded Drop-in space,
Drop in on the first Sunday of the month, between 2pm – 6pm, at Toynbee Hall Wellbeing Centre, 28 Commercial Street, London, E1 6LS >> Directions Below
Next one is Sunday 1st February
Drop in for…
Confidential, non-judgemental listening and support
Signposting to other sources of support
A cup of tea and a chat
Sharing ideas on how we could change our groups’ dynamics to make them sustainable
Requests for support on upcoming actions
From time to time we may be able to offer physical therapies.
Whether you’re new to social change and its emotional see-saws, or you’ve been at it for years, and whether you’re stressing/freaking/burning out, or just want to check in, you’ll be very welcome.
Who we are
Well Grounded is a group of activists who are passionate about sustaining activism from the inside out, encouraging a climate of looking after ourselves and each other so that we can keep on the fight for a better world.
We observe that activism is often physically and emotionally exhausting, involves going to boundaries and often beyond them, and can at times feel hopeless, uncomfortable and overwhelming. To be able to carry on doing what we do, we recognise the importance of taking care of our needs, stopping sometimes to rest, finding space for our feelings before they get on top of us, and staying connected with each other and ourselves.
What we do
*On-action support spaces for recovering & re-charging (quiet held spaces for listening, tea, resting, massage etc.)
*“Roaming” support at actions / demos
*Referrals for post-action trauma support (links with trained counsellors)
*Monthly drop-in space in London: support, networking, idea-gathering
*Facilitating post-action debriefing sessions
*Workshops on sustaining activism
Sunday Drop In Sessions, venue and directions
Directions to the Wellbeing Centre - from Aldgate East tube station turn up Commercial Street towards Shoreditch, on the right (three minutes walk) is the main external entrance to Toynbee Hall. Walk into the grounds with gardens on your left and turn left onto the raised courtyard with the cafe at your back. Ahead of you, slightly to the right, take the short walkway between Atlee House and Ashby Hall and the Wellbeing Centre is through a green iron gateway on your left (press silver button for access).
For more information, support, or to invite us to an action/debriefing, get in touch at:
Please forward to anyone you think may be interested!
Please let us know if you do not want to recieve emails from us - Will be an email every few months or so with reminders about the drop-in sessions or other activities we are organising
Squatted World Famous 12 Bar in court Wednesday 28th of January 10 AM The County Court court at Central London, Royal Courts of Justice, Thomas more building, Strand, London WC2A 2LL network it
UK's largest fracking tests are going to be decided this Wednesday (28th) in Lancashire. FREE coach (and HOTEL) to DEMO leaving Tues 27th 8pm frm Heathrow Terminal 5. RSVP: southeast@frackstop.org.uk for seats. coach returns Wed eve. Please forward! X
Callout 4 squatters bloc@march 4 homes next sat, 31st. Some of us r lookin 4 fabric 2 make BIG banners 4 it please get in touch if u can donate SLN:07925769858
Activists outside the recently occupied 12 Bar club in Soho. Photograph: Haydn Wheeler/Demotix/Corbis
One of Soho’s most famous live music venues, which was closed down for redevelopment earlier this month, has been occupied by a group of squatters who have invited musicians to perform there once again.
The activists reopened the doors of the 12 Bar in Denmark Street, Soho, to music fans on Friday evening.
The bar, where Adele, Keane and KT Tunstall all made their UK debuts, closed just over a week ago.
In former years, the Grade II listed building was a stable yard and blacksmith’s.
The activists – calling themselves Bohemians 4 Soho – took over the building earlier this week.
Consolidated Developments, the owner of the building, is seeking to evict the occupiers, who are supported by Soho residents, local sex workers, housing activists and other groups of squatters such as the Love Activists.
“We have joined forces to protest about social cleansing and the actions of corporate developers who want to change the face of Soho,” said one of the Bohemians 4 Soho.
“We are a collective of artists, activists and campaigners who are willing to become cultural heritage wardens for the area.”
Consolidated Developments has applied to Central London county court for an interim possession order against “person unknown known as Daniel”. The case is due to be heard on 28 January.
On Friday evening an injunction order was posted on one of the doors of the 12 Bar banning the occupants from holding a party, playing music or distributing alcohol.
But few of the revellers pouring into the newly reopened venue seemed to notice the order, and those who did paid it no heed.
Sarah Pink and Suzanne Reddington-Gardner, who sing in bands, said they had been coming to the venue for 15 years and were thrilled the squatters had reopened it.
“We have drank here, played here, cried here, loved here,” said Pink.
The 12 Bar is in an area known as Tin Pan Alley. The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath and David Bowie recorded some early works there, and musicians including Jimi Hendrix and Phil Lynott bought their guitars from stores in the locality.
In October, we occupied Parliament Square peacefully for nine days to demand democracy free from corporate influence. The Establishment responded with a strategy designed to have a chilling effect – over-policing and media silence. We remained peaceful and resolute in our determination to make our point, and to demand our right to protest and assemble. Our numbers grew and we kept on with our solutions-focused programme of debates, talks and entertainment. On the final night we agreed a provisional set of demands and we are continuing to develop these.
We returned to Parliament Square in November and December and will be going back once a month until the general election in May 2015. We will continue to highlight the takeover of Westminster by vested interests and build a movement capable of taking it back. Thank you to everybody who is making this happen!
January occupation: The date for January is Saturday 24th. This will be a short occupation (3-9pm) on the theme of war, arms trade, foreign policy and the democratic deficit which will link up with the Wrap Up Trident demo (12-3pm). The draft programme includes workshops with invited speakers, peaceful direct action and a general assembly. Keep updated via the Facebook event.
#bohemians4soho network it planetfuckers awesome gig at 12 bar Denmark st 15+acts 4 bands ,bohemianauts and smiley an underclass smashed it Smashed it out of the park 12 bar reenergised,big up all the crew acts and crowd who filled the place with love and vibes, from love activists to squat crews, place was vibing. so many good acts. Save the 12 Bar and the Denmark st centre of british popular music culture....squat the lot ... repeal the law criminalising squatting, homes for all 2015. Give a man a crow bar and he can sort himself some DIY housing. Give hime some charity and he can remain homeless for life. We have the tools we have the tech..... in the future they will look back on the times of empty homes. Homes for all 2015 enuff is snuff.March for homes/homeless jan 31st also april network it innit wake up rise up.............. take back the empty buildings, reclaim the land , make a stand now is the moment of power. see you at occupy democracy tomorrow . Reclaim your future Phoenix Rising
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, PETITION CAMDEN COUNCIL AND ENGLISH HERITAGE TO:
Preserve the heritage and integrity of Denmark Street, Tin Pan Alley and in particular the 12 Bar Club and to give the area the same special conservation status as Hatton Garden and Savile Row.
Denmark Street has a long history dating back to the 1690’s and has been a Mecca for musicians from all genres from Jazz to Punk and everything in between. The independent shops, recording studios and bars give the place a unique ambience which has attracted the likes of Lionel Bart, Jimi Hendrix, The Kinks, George Harrison, Thin Lizzy, Elton John, David Bowie, Marc Bolan, Rolling Stones, Small Faces, The Sex Pistols and countless others to shop, record or write there.
Today the 12 Bar Club plays host to live music 7 nights a week and continues the streets long tradition of giving a stage to musicians - local, national and international - who want their music to be heard and customers who want to hear it. There is nowhere like it in the West End, or anywhere else. It is essential that the venue survives to both provide a platform for future bands to ply their craft and to provide a venue for audiences who appreciate live music in an intimate setting.
It is a unique place, with Grade II Listing, and steeped in a history that should be preserved and maintained for future generations. Too many of London’s historical venues have been lost to developers or big businesses; we implore you not to let the 12 Bar Club be the next on that shameful list.
You are welcome to come an join us to dance and sing together for a night of Djemebe Reggae Soul Rap
With Antarma and the Family Tree,
Plus some special guest artists including Kamali And more... Free entry! @Jam in a Jar 599 green lanes N8 0RE close to Turnpike lane tube, also not too far from Manor house and Haringey Green lanes.
This Saturday 24th from 9.15 till 11.30pm. I have heard there will also be an afte party jam happening nearby! Hope to see you there. Much love.x
Amnesty free msg: EL SALVADOR Guadalupe suffered miscarriage, jailed 4 murder. Case to be reheard today. Tweet: http://amn.st/6009xaPc 2OptOut txt STOP to 70505
small family, mother and her 2 kids came 2 ASS.they r homeless 4 month while wait 4 papers from spain.if anyone cud offer space 4 a while text 07476844022
Call out for musicians,performers,comedians,activist and the rest!Famous Blues bar-12Bar club in Soho temporarily reopened as an arts and community space in protest of the area's gentrification.Get yourself down here this week loads of events & follow @OurBohemia,#Bohemians4Soho
More than 11m homes lie empty across Europe – enough to house all of the continent's homeless twice over – according to figures collated by the Guardian from across the EU.
In Spain more than 3.4m homes lie vacant, in excess of 2m homes are empty in each of France and Italy, 1.8m in Germany and more than 700,000 in the UK.
There are also a large numbers of vacant homes in Ireland, Greece, Portugal and several other countries, according to information collated by the Guardian.
Many of the homes are in vast holiday resorts built in the feverish housingboom in the run up to the 2007-08 financial crisis – and have never been occupied.
On top of the 11m empty homes – many of which were bought as investments by people who never intended to live in them – hundreds of thousands of half-built homes have been bulldozed in an attempt to shore up the prices of existing properties.
Housing campaigners said the "incredible number" of homes lying empty while millions of poor people were crying out for shelter was a "shocking waste".
"It's incredible. It's a massive number," said David Ireland, chief executive of the Empty Homes charity, which campaigns for vacant homes to be made available for those who need housing. "It will be shocking to ordinary people.
"Homes are built for people to live in, if they're not being lived in then something has gone seriously wrong with the housing market."
Ireland said policymakers urgently needed to tackle the issue of wealthy buyers using houses as "investment vehicles" – not homes.
He said Europe's 11m empty homes might not be in the right places "but there is enough [vacant housing] to meet the problem of homelessness". There are 4.1 million homeless across Europe, according to the European Union.
Freek Spinnewijn, director of FEANTSA, an umbrella organisation of homelessness bodies across Europe, said it was a scandal that so many homes have been allowed to lie empty. "You would only need half of them to end homelessness," he said.
"Governments should do as much as possible to put empty homes on the market. The problem of homelessness is getting worse across the whole of the European Union. The best way to resolve it is to put empty homes on the market."
Last month MEPs passed a resolution demanding the European Commission "develop an EU homelessness strategy without any further delay", which was passed 349 votes to 45.
Gavin Smart, director of policy at the UK Chartered Institute of Housing, said many of the empty homes were likely to have fallen into disrepair or be in deprived regions lacking jobs, but others could be easily brought back to the market.
He said a growing problem was rich investors "buying to leave" and hoping to profit from rising property prices. The prices of prime London property – defined as homes that cost more than £1,000 per sq ft – are now 27% above their 2007 peak, according to estate agent Savills.
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