Fuck Gentrification - Join the Fuck Parade...Part 3!

[Nice one]

This is what's happening round here (Catford/Lewisham). There's been no squatters, no bohemians, its going straight from solidly working class to yuppies, not even anything to do with the area's cultural history, just that there's space and it's 20 mins to London Bridge and 10 to Canary Wharf on the DLR. There's hundreds of posh flats going up in Lewisham Centre right now and not a hipster caf/social centre/gallery etc in sight, not even a Starbucks yet. It's a property developer's coup and very different to what took place in Stoke Newington, Brixton etc.

are you talking new builds or gentrification? There's a massive difference. Do you have the locations?

 

[smokedout]

new builds which are leading to gentrification, with the ever wiling help of lewisham council who keep trying to have a farmers market in the centre of catford. Catford Pond is the main development round here, but there's lot of smaller ones, all of the space behind lewisham shopping centre, the station and down Lewisham Way. this is what lewisham will look like soon

 

[ViolentPanda]

yes, and to be fair deptford did have an artist/squatter thing going on but not lewisham or catford. the estate agents came first, and then the posh new builds started going up, along with the rents

not much of it is gated, but parts of it, especially round the back of lewisham station are designed in a way that makes adjoining roads/walkways etc appear to be private property even though its still public right of way, so you feel like your trespassing when you walk through and people don't.

That happened at the Brockwell Development at Tulse Hill, too. Fortunately dog-walkers don't seem to mind feeling like trespassers!
It's also an old trick to nick land. IIRC if a right-of-way provably isn't used for a certain period, an owner of land adjoining it can petition the status and try to claim the land.

 

[pocketscience]

new builds which are leading to gentrification, with the ever wiling help of lewisham council who keep trying to have a farmers market in the centre of catford. Catford Pond is the main development round here, but there's lot of smaller ones, all of the space behind lewisham shopping centre, the station and down Lewisham Way. this is what lewisham will look like soon

Mental!
Where's Catford Pond?
The only pond I can think of is Southend Pond at homebase (or peter pans pool for the seriously old school) and just cant imagine that as a development hotspot.
I would have thought Lewisham council has enough on it's hands with fucking Deptford up atm.

 

[Belushi]

What happened to Catford Dogs? That was bought by developers to build flats but it seemed to remain derelict for years.

 

[pocketscience]

Went past there on the train in April and from the little bit you can still see through the trees on the sidings, fuck all. Looked like it was still mostly brown field.

 

[mauvais]

So forgive me for asking but how does this have more to do with oligarchs than the middle class?

On the face of it, Class War has become (twas ever thus?) a war against the peril of, err, farmers markets. Even by my standards that's not much of a war.

You could do a good line in slogans though.

UNSLICED BREAD / WE'LL SEE YOU DEAD
ARTISAN CHEESE / GET ON YOUR KNEES
FANCY JAM AND CHUTNEY / NO PLATFORM IN PUTNEY
etc, see?

 

[FridgeMagnet]

are you talking new builds or gentrification? There's a massive difference.

Practically speaking, in London, there isn't. New builds are priced for gentrifiers. The latter comes after the former as... a thing that follows another thing comes after it, fuck's sake it's late.

 

[smokedout]

Mental!
Where's Catford Pond?
The only pond I can think of is Southend Pond at homebase (or peter pans pool for the seriously old school) and just cant imagine that as a development hotspot.
I would have thought Lewisham council has enough on it's hands with fucking Deptford up atm.

sorry catford pond is a bus stop, I meant Catford Green which also isn't a real place just a made up name. It's on the old dog track site and in between the train lines that go to the two stations, went up very quickly and people are in there already

Lewisham Council have spruced up and pedestrianised the area outside the town hall in expectation and taken over all the leases in the Catford Centre, presumably so the right kind of shop can be encouraged - they're moving too fast though, WH Smiths just closed and all they could find to replace it was a huge pound shop. There's other smaller developments on Rushey Green and a couple (one very posh) in Ladywell, all the pubs and old shops that have been empty for ages seem to be being converted, its like a virus and rents seem to be shooting up as landlords refurbish in the hope of renting to yuppies.

 

[pocketscience]

Catford Green... Surprising the developers didn't go for a Surrey Docks to Surrey Quays type rebranding blag and call it "Feline Brook Pastures" to put another 50k on the price of a studio flat.

 

[LDC]

So forgive me for asking but how does this have more to do with oligarchs than the middle class?

On the face of it, Class War has become (twas ever thus?) a war against the peril of, err, farmers markets. Even by my standards that's not much of a war.

You could do a good line in slogans though.

UNSLICED BREAD / WE'LL SEE YOU DEAD
ARTISAN CHEESE / GET ON YOUR KNEES
FANCY JAM AND CHUTNEY / NO PLATFORM IN PUTNEY
etc, see?

Class War is a slightly depressing sight now, it's the anarchist scene equivalent to the SWP now IMO. Once relevant, dynamic, and useful, but now just stuck in some cycle of ever more cliched and tragic activities with less people and less relevance to anyone outside their scene.

They're like a Viz caricature of anarchists. Bit sad.

 

[Nice one]

Practically speaking, in London, there isn't. New builds are priced for gentrifiers. The latter comes after the former as... a thing that follows another thing comes after it, fuck's sake it's late.

yes and no. Gentrification is a process of displacing a traditional working class population with a wealthier middle class. The displacement bit is key. With Lewisham it looks like you are adding to the dominant working class population. In terms of town planning it looks like social engineering more than social cleansing. The regeneration of catford has been talked about for years apparently and it was only when Lewisham council bought Catford Shopping Centre in 2010 did things start to move.

If you look at camden town there are some of the poshest streets in london within a 2 two minute walk of camden tube. Further down you have regents park estate next to some of the most expensive property in london. Camden Market is essentially for tourists and not for the local population (lived 15 years in camden town never once went to camden market by choice).

But apparently only now is it being gentrified!

I think the development of catford will be interesting but it doesn't look like violent panda's type 2 gentrification. (And i don't know if 'hyper gentrification' is being conflated with 'super gentrification' - i could only find hyper gentrification being used as a kind of buzzword in reference to what's happening in Brixton currently, in a UK context).

My understanding of super gentrification is an area already gentrified but added to this a more concentrated and accelerated form of further gentrification where the newly arrived middle class are supplanted by a wealthy set (and the residual working class and small retailers who fought the initial wave of gentrification get permanently displaced).

 

[kenny g]

Class War is a slightly depressing sight now, it's the anarchist scene equivalent to the SWP now IMO. Once relevant, dynamic, and useful, but now just stuck in some cycle of ever more cliched and tragic activities with less people and less relevance to anyone outside their scene.

They're like a Viz caricature of anarchists. Bit sad.

During which period were they more "relevant, dynamic and useful"? I reckon your comment is pretty much identical to ones I was hearing back in the late 80's / early 90's.

The poor doors campaign caught the mood bang on, the issue of poor doors is being raised with developers again and again in .. even in the FT Social housing in cities: who should build it — and where? - FT.com

The campaign against the jack the ripper museum was picked up widely...

Ian Bone's observations on PPE Oxford infestation of the political class are nowadays common place.

I don't involve myself in Class War actions but I think you would be hard pressed to argue they are more irrelevant or cliched than in the past.

 

[Citizen66]

I think Lynne is angling for contributions to her 'who will be punched at the Bookfair' thread.

 

[smokedout]

yes and no. Gentrification is a process of displacing a traditional working class population with a wealthier middle class. The displacement bit is key. With Lewisham it looks like you are adding to the dominant working class population. In terms of town planning it looks like social engineering more than social cleansing. The regeneration of catford has been talked about for years apparently and it was only when Lewisham council bought Catford Shopping Centre in 2010 did things start to move.

People are being displaced. Rents are rising, social housing is shrinking, businesses are closing. It's very early days yet, and already the change in demographic is noticeable and being actively engineered - I heard some little estate agents shit saying to his mate the other day 'don't worry, we'll soon get rid of all these druggies and Jobcentre people'. This is how it is has happened all over London, all the private sector rents soar, the only people left are in social housing which is gradually eaten away at, and the nature of the area changes to exclude the people who are still clinging on. This did happen in Camden as well, although away from the High Street round Kentish Town/Gospel Oak and down towards Somerstown. there was also an active programme of cleansing took place, around the time the cops killed Kebe Jobe, when they started to threaten rough sleepers with arrest, nicked all the dealers or anyone who looked like one etc and put pressure on a lot of the venues/businesses to either close or change radically.

I think the development of catford will be interesting but it doesn't look like violent panda's type 2 gentrification. (And i don't know if 'hyper gentrification' is being conflated with 'super gentrification' - i could only find hyper gentrification being used as a kind of buzzword in reference to what's happening in Brixton currently, in a UK context).

My understanding of super gentrification is an area already gentrified but added to this a more concentrated and accelerated form of further gentrification where the newly arrived middle class are supplanted by a wealthy set (and the residual working class and small retailers who fought the initial wave of gentrification get permanently displaced).

Catford is being encircled by that, Ladywell, Brockley, Hither Green, Honour Oak all used to be the kind of places lower middle class families went to have kids, now they are being squeezed out as well.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Class War is a slightly depressing sight now, it's the anarchist scene equivalent to the SWP now IMO.

Minus the power-abusing rapist at the top.

Once relevant, dynamic, and useful...

The Swappies? For the short periods when they did physical force anti-fascism, perhaps. The rest of the time they've been about as politically-dynamic as an arthritic poodle.

...but now just stuck in some cycle of ever more cliched and tragic activities with less people and less relevance to anyone outside their scene.

They're like a Viz caricature of anarchists. Bit sad.

TBF, the Viz caricature is too gentle.

 

[isvicthere?]

A billionaire who's made his loot from property and the gambling industry. Ugh.

Not to mention a convicted fraudster who's done jail time.

 

[ClassWar2015]

During which period were they more "relevant, dynamic and useful"? I reckon your comment is pretty much identical to ones I was hearing back in the late 80's / early 90's.

The poor doors campaign caught the mood bang on, the issue of poor doors is being raised with developers again and again in .. even in the FT Social housing in cities: who should build it — and where? - FT.com

The campaign against the jack the ripper museum was picked up widely...

Ian Bone's observations on PPE Oxford infestation of the political class are nowadays common place.

I don't involve myself in Class War actions but I think you would be hard pressed to argue they are more irrelevant or cliched than in the past.

......and we've pretty much put 'Poor Doors' into the political lexicon as Sadiq Khan has just been elected Labour London Mayor candidate and pledged to stop poor doors by the very term.

 

[ClassWar2015]

Never Mind The Labour Party, Come To The Fucking Fuck Parade
Posted on September 16, 2015 by johnny void | 20 Comments


If there’s one thing the British establishment hates more than Jeremy Corbyn it’s us. From the corridors of power to the boardrooms in the city, they see our class as nothing more than mugs and scroungers who only exist to fatten their wallets. Work hard and they’ll pat you on the head whilst picking your pocket with the other hand. Refuse work and the punishment is economic destruction, with every avenue of survival ruthlessly shut down. And if you can’t work, or find a job, then you will be destroyed as well, as a lesson to everyone else. Don’t get sick, don’t complain, don’t ask for a pay rise, or you too could become a scrounger – a non-person to be bullied and tomented at will.

But beneath this seething contempt for the poor lies a terror that goes unspoken. They know all too well that there is more of us than them, and that without our compliance the whole fucking game is up. That in a heartbeat their mansions, and their assets, and their bank balances, could all disappear like smoke. It has happened before.

So, as uncomfortable as they may find it, they would far rather tolerate a polite man asking difficult questions in parliament, than face a mob with pitchforks steaming down their leafy streets. They will bluster and howl about extremism but they know all too well that if things become genuinely turbulent then the likes of Jeremy Corbyn may yet be their biggest chance of survival. This has been the historic role of the Labour Party, to manage the wrath of the working class and fight on our behalf for things we don’t usually even want.

Whatever your views on recent events one thing is clear. Escalation is now required on all fronts if we are to end, or even slow down, the onslaught on our living standards. There will be no concessions to a movement that has no teeth. Sitting around for five years on the off chance Labour might eventually save us is not an option. No-one can save us, except us.

On Saturday 26th September Class War will be holding the third Fuck Parade, this time targetting gentrification in Shoreditch, a once working class area of London. Meet outside Shoreditch Station from 7pm and please help spread the word by sharing the facebook page for the event.

Meanwhile this coming Saturday (19th September) A March Against Evictions is being held in Stratford, East London to mark the second anniversary of Focus E15 campaign. Meet at Stratford Park, West Ham Lane, from noon, full details on facebook.

In October protests will be taking place in Manchester outside the Tory Party Conference. I’ll get a seperate post up about these, but for now there’s details on DPAC’s website.


Never Mind The Labour Party, Come To The Fucking Fuck Parade

 

[ClassWar2015]

Class War is a slightly depressing sight now, it's the anarchist scene equivalent to the SWP now IMO. Once relevant, dynamic, and useful, but now just stuck in some cycle of ever more cliched and tragic activities with less people and less relevance to anyone outside their scene.

They're like a Viz caricature of anarchists. Bit sad.

Fuck off. That's utter tripe.

What the have you done recently that affords this sneery demeanour?

 

[ClassWar2015]

Some sick puppy has put the Fuck Parade flyer through Google Deep Dream.......give it a good look

 

[Citizen66]

Never Mind The Labour Party, Come To The Fucking Fuck Parade
Posted on September 16, 2015 by johnny void | 20 Comments


If there’s one thing the British establishment hates more than Jeremy Corbyn it’s us. From the corridors of power to the boardrooms in the city, they see our class as nothing more than mugs and scroungers who only exist to fatten their wallets. Work hard and they’ll pat you on the head whilst picking your pocket with the other hand. Refuse work and the punishment is economic destruction, with every avenue of survival ruthlessly shut down. And if you can’t work, or find a job, then you will be destroyed as well, as a lesson to everyone else. Don’t get sick, don’t complain, don’t ask for a pay rise, or you too could become a scrounger – a non-person to be bullied and tomented at will.

But beneath this seething contempt for the poor lies a terror that goes unspoken. They know all too well that there is more of us than them, and that without our compliance the whole fucking game is up. That in a heartbeat their mansions, and their assets, and their bank balances, could all disappear like smoke. It has happened before.

So, as uncomfortable as they may find it, they would far rather tolerate a polite man asking difficult questions in parliament, than face a mob with pitchforks steaming down their leafy streets. They will bluster and howl about extremism but they know all too well that if things become genuinely turbulent then the likes of Jeremy Corbyn may yet be their biggest chance of survival. This has been the historic role of the Labour Party, to manage the wrath of the working class and fight on our behalf for things we don’t usually even want.

Whatever your views on recent events one thing is clear. Escalation is now required on all fronts if we are to end, or even slow down, the onslaught on our living standards. There will be no concessions to a movement that has no teeth. Sitting around for five years on the off chance Labour might eventually save us is not an option. No-one can save us, except us.

On Saturday 26th September Class War will be holding the third Fuck Parade, this time targetting gentrification in Shoreditch, a once working class area of London. Meet outside Shoreditch Station from 7pm and please help spread the word by sharing the facebook page for the event.

Meanwhile this coming Saturday (19th September) A March Against Evictions is being held in Stratford, East London to mark the second anniversary of Focus E15 campaign. Meet at Stratford Park, West Ham Lane, from noon, full details on facebook.

In October protests will be taking place in Manchester outside the Tory Party Conference. I’ll get a seperate post up about these, but for now there’s details on DPAC’s website.


Never Mind The Labour Party, Come To The Fucking Fuck Parade

Odd bunch on the comments section.

 

[Frances Lengel]

Get a box for Bigham to stand on so he can see over his banner you cruel twats...

 

[ClassWar2015]

 

[Citizen66]

You missed a trick - reclaim the beats not the beasts. (Tying in with the new porcine theme).

 

[ClassWar2015]

Last call for the Fuck Parade. I may be biased but it's looking proper.

We have several rigs coming and the main one is a sight to behold. There's going to be fire eaters, fireworks and all sorts of entertainment.

If the plod want to be dicks they will have several hundred angry and up for it revellers to deal with. If they let us party, that's what we'll do.

 

[ClassWar2015]

What a fucking night.

 

[ska invita]

couldnt make this- hope there was carnage

 

[Mr.Bishie]

Here's what the Standard had to say about it - Anti-gentrification protesters target cereal cafe and estate agent

 

[ClassWar2015]

couldnt make this- hope there was carnage

Cereal cafe owner tells of 'witch hunt' that pelted windows with paint

It was proper. Nearly fucked the rig before we got out the door but all was well.