IS LONDON BEING TURNED INTO A PLAYGROUND FOR THE RICH? One of the world’s art capitals is about to become a showroom for art that is being produced elsewhere.
Text by Frida Meinking.
It’s a cold morning in Shoreditch and people are on their way to work. At Redchurch Street stores are getting ready to open the doors for today’s shoppers. The street, once a part of London’s poorest area but now home to names such as Shoreditch House, Versace’s Versus label and Aesop, has been hailed as east London’s Bond Street and is at the forefront of the on-going gentrification in the area.
In early 90s Shoreditch, Dalston and Hackney were blossoming with creative production. As a matter of fact, the production of art, music and design was what once made these areas popular. But, 25 years later things have changed. Gentrification has nailed its claws into east London and increasing rents are constantly forcing people to move. The artists that once put the area on the map are all long gone and only the successful, lucky or stubborn have been able to stay.
Hedvig Ahlberg, freelancing animator, lives in Hackney. She said that there are still many benefits with living and working in the area. “There are lots of jobs here and most of my clients are based here as well,” she said. But, she also commented on the competition among creatives in the borough: “It can be difficult to find a job with an okay budget and there will always be someone who will do the job for less money than you.”
Over in South London things are looking a bit brighter, areas like Deptford and some parts of Peckham are still known for offering affordable places for creatives to live and work. However, the signs of gentrification are making themselves very clear in these areas as well. In October last year Southwark Council rejected Bold Home’s plans to turn the multi-story car park by Peckham Rye station, home to Bold Tendencies and Frank’s bar, into 800 affordable studios. Instead the council decided to go for Pop Community’s application, which will only offer 50 artist’s studios and turn the rest of the car park into a multi-use venue with pop-up cafés and shops.
Just after the news about the car park was announced, Peckham was hit by other big news and for a while it looked like the high street was about to be turned into a developer’s heaven. This time developers had put forward a suggestion to turn the building opposite the famous Bussey Building into luxurious flats and with space for eight retail stores. If the proposal went through it would risk the future of not only Bussey Building but also CLF Café and Copland Park, home to a number of bars and artists' studios.
This time the local community was not ready to give up on another great venue. With more than 15,000 people signing a petition to secure the future of the building the developers withdraw their proposal. Commenting on the happenings Jack Leeth, a regular visitor at the Bussey Building, said: “It’s great news. A bit of Peckham’s creative scene has been saved. Now, it’s just a matter of fact before developers will try to snitch something else from us.”
Ben Hansen, musician and film maker, living in Peckham recognises