Music fans flood in as squatters throw open doors of Soho live venue

Activists calling themselves Bohemians 4 Soho occupy bar in central London, which has been shut up ahead of redevelopment

Diane Taylor
The Guardian, Friday 23 January 2015 22.34 GMT

'Bohemians 4 Soho' occupy 12 Bar Club on Denmark Street - London — 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.