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Upstairs At The Department Store (restaurant)

No, you can't be that stupid as to think 'affordable homes' are the same as social housing, can you?

There is no fucking comparison and to bring them up to suggest the architects have some sort of deep rooted social concerns is beyond laughable.
No, you can't be as stupid as to think it doesn't, can you?

"Affordable" covers shared ownership, affordable rent and social rent. Usually as a rule of thumb these would be somewhere around the 40%:30%:30% ratio across a development. So yes, they will undoubtably be designing social housing. I'd imagine that the examples on the website are a fraction of their jobs, but the others may not be that photogenic.

If you don't belive me then you can get on the planning portal and pull the s106 agreements for some of those schemes - they will stipulate the social provision.
 
No, you can't be as stupid as to think it doesn't, can you?

"Affordable" covers shared ownership, affordable rent and social rent. Usually as a rule of thumb these would be somewhere around the 40%:30%:30% ratio across a development. So yes, they will undoubtably be designing social housing. I'd imagine that the examples on the website are a fraction of their jobs, but the others may not be that photogenic.

If you don't belive me then you can get on the planning portal and pull the s106 agreements for some of those schemes - they will stipulate the social provision.
You claimed that they designed 'loads' of social housing but are unable to provide a single actual example anywhere.

LOL.
 
Just admit you don't have a single piece of proof to back up your assertion that the company has designed any social housing - let alone loads of it - and we can move on.
One of the examples cited on their website was a new head office for UNISON with 17 units of affordable within it. Do you think that would have been social, or affordable?
 
Loaded architects who also design a load of social housing..

Really?

Sadiq Khan has continued his tough stance on ‘unacceptable’ affordable housing levels by refusing amended plans by Squire & Partners for a former Metropolitan Police HQ


London mayor refuses Squire towers change as affordable housing stance toughens

Mayor Khan says of Squires plans:

The scheme put forward for this site is simply unacceptable: it fails to provide the maximum amount of affordable housing that could be delivered on this landmark site, and follows a previous application in which the affordable housing provision agreed by the previous mayor was already appallingly low.’
 
On the thread in politics about Corbyn Jewdas has come up. The Jewish Socialist group Corbyn met this week. And got stick for. The posts here on the virtues of Squires reminded me of the recent post on Jewdas website. Whilst critical of Corbyn on anti semitism they support what he stands for on the left.

Enough is enough.
This is not even just about Israel.

This is about people of a certain age, class and political persuasion who have no idea how to function in a system where every political party isn’t pandering to their views exactly. It is about the threat that the possibility of nationalisation, rent caps and redistribution of wealth poses to the people whose ‘philanthropy’ funds our community. We have allowed our community to be dominated by middle- and upper- class people who are actively opposed to our material interests for way too long.

Enough is more than fucking enough.


Enough is Enough! – Jewdas

Couldn't agree more. Nothing to add to this.

Except that I'm really glad Corbyn went ahead and attended this group function rather than excusing himself due to possible bad publicity.
 
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No, you can't be as stupid as to think it doesn't, can you?

"Affordable" covers shared ownership, affordable rent and social rent. Usually as a rule of thumb these would be somewhere around the 40%:30%:30% ratio across a development. So yes, they will undoubtably be designing social housing. I'd imagine that the examples on the website are a fraction of their jobs, but the others may not be that photogenic.

If you don't belive me then you can get on the planning portal and pull the s106 agreements for some of those schemes - they will stipulate the social provision.

Quite. So it's got nothing to do with Squires. It's down to CIL and section 106 agreements.
 
I'd rather go somewhere that gives me a warm welcome and makes me feel like they deserve the price of a good plate of food than deal with stuck up attitudes like this.

maybe try salon - i got a warm welcome for an anniversary dinner and the food was fantastic
 
One of the examples cited on their website was a new head office for UNISON with 17 units of affordable within it. Do you think that would have been social, or affordable?
You really don't understand what social housing is, do you?

Here. let me help you.
Social housing is let at low rents on a secure basis to those who are most in need or struggling with their housing costs. Normally councils and not-for-profit organisations (such as housing associations) are the ones to provide social housing.

Social housing is affordable housing
A key function of social housing is to provide accommodation that is affordable to people on low incomes. Limits to rent increases set by law mean that rents are kept affordable.

Social housing is allocated on the basis of need
Unlike in the private rented sector, where tenancies are offered by the landlord and letting agent to whomever they choose, social housing is distributed according to the local council’s allocation scheme. Since the Localism Act 2011, councils can decide who is or isn’t eligible to go on the waiting list for social housing. Out of those who meet the council’s criteria, legislation requires that certain groups be given 'reasonable preference'.

Social housing is owned and managed by registered providers
Registered providers (often known as social landlords) are the bodies that own and manage social housing. They tend to be non-commercial organisations such as local authorities or housing associations. Housing associations are independent, not-for-profit organisations that can use any profit they make to maintain existing homes and help finance new ones.

It is now possible for commercial organisations to build and manage social housing, although this is not yet common practice.

Social housing is regulated
Registered providers are financially regulated and funded by the government through the Homes and Communities Agency, which is responsible for the construction of new social homes. The government department currently responsible for overseeing the social housing sector is the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG).

What is social housing? - Shelter England
Now either show me a sizeable selection of the "loads" of social housing projects that Squire have supposedly designed, or you could just admit that you made that bit up and made yourself look a bit silly.

Oh and if you think any mega-rich luxury architect firm designing affordable homes deserves some sort of round of applause for their social minded concerns, you got that wrong too. And that is why you brought it up in the first place, no?

Affordable housing does not mean what you think it means
 
And for all their widely broadcast attempts to ingratiate themselves with the community, this is where their true colours lie: collaborating with the Abu Dhabi Financial Group to deprive Londoners of even the bare minimum of (guffaw) "affordable" homes, just so they can rake in more cash for themselves:
Mayor Sadiq Khan has continued his tough stance on “unacceptable” affordable housing levels by refusing amended plans by Squire & Partners for a former Metropolitan Police HQ

An initial application for a 268-home, 20-story scheme at 8-10 Broadway, New Scotland Yard, was approved by Westminster Council last year, even though it included just 10 affordable flats and breached the authority’s own planning guidance on tall buildings.

Developer BL Developments – owned by Abu Dhabi Financial Group – subsequently submitted revised plans in a bid to increase the total number of homes to 295.

However, the developer’s reworked proposal included no additional affordable homes.
285 luxury homes and just ten 'affordable' ones. Pathetic.
 
Their 'Current' plans include a 'Zubabox ' with Aid Agencies, providing internet access in a range of African countries, and a design for a children's hospice that they are supporting.
I was given membership when they first opened their Upstairs because I attended various community meetings that they gave space to in the basement. They have been keen to employ and train local young people, and approached me to recruit amongst our young trainees and participants. As I understood it the club / guest / invite status was while they get a licence. It's a nice place to have a drink, the views are fab, they stock Brixton Beer and other local suppliers (I only ever drink Reliance Pale Ale) and the staff are friendly. I haven't eaten there.
 
Their 'Current' plans include a 'Zubabox ' with Aid Agencies, providing internet access in a range of African countries, and a design for a children's hospice that they are supporting.
Given their vast wealth and sumptuous head offices, of course they should be giving something back - and I'm sure they'll let everyone know all about it - but that doesn't let them off the hook for collaborating with dodgy developers to deprive Londoners of affordable homes.

When this lot charged into town, gentrification took another huge leap forward, so they're partly responsible for the displacement taking place.

And I can't say I find much cheer in their client list either: they're mainly about servicing the precious needs of the super rich and the privileged.
It's a nice place to have a drink, the views are fab, they stock Brixton Beer and other local suppliers (I only ever drink Reliance Pale Ale) and the staff are friendly. I haven't eaten there.
I'm sure it's lovely and swishy, but I don't think they've particularly reached out to the existing community.

It's just another divisive layer to a Brixton that is rapidly turning into a two tier town.
 
I was given membership when they first opened their Upstairs because I attended various community meetings that they gave space to in the basement. They have been keen to employ and train local young people, and approached me to recruit amongst our young trainees and participants. As I understood it the club / guest / invite status was while they get a licence.

This sounds to me like they are engaging with the community. Giving space to community meetings and proactively trying to employ and train local young people.

I think Squires have done an excellent job of renovating the building and I'm not sure who apart from an architects would have put such effort in.

From personal experience I know there is a lack of office space in Brixton, when looking for an office last year Brixton was one of our options. There was literally one office available at the size a small to medium business could move into. Lack of office space means less employment options for locals in the area outside or retail and hospitality.
 
And for all their widely broadcast attempts to ingratiate themselves with the community, this is where their true colours lie: collaborating with the Abu Dhabi Financial Group to deprive Londoners of even the bare minimum of (guffaw) "affordable" homes, just so they can rake in more cash for themselves:
285 luxury homes and just ten 'affordable' ones. Pathetic.
You do realise that architects are given a brief which they then design to don’t you?
 
I think Squires have done an excellent job of renovating the building and I'm not sure who apart from an architects would have put such effort in.

Yeh, from some of the posts on this thread you’d they think it was conservative central office that had opened up there. They seem alright to me. They can't help that they are operating in an industry that is by nature stylish so their premises will reflect that. The usual hidebound nonsense.
 
I've always just preferred good quality grub at reasonable prices and not pretentious - whether it be the local pub, Indian, Chinese or Persian restaurant, etc. Where you can pretty much just ring up to book (or even just walk in off the street) and be made welcome. 'Stylish premises' has never really been something I've been bothered about, Brick Lane went up its own arse after a while chasing that...
 
You do realise that architects are given a brief which they then design to don’t you?
You do realise that architects can chose which projects they work on - especially ones as successful and as wealthy as this lot - so when a morally dodgy Middle East developer asks them, "Hey, be sure to get the affordable housing commitment down to the absolute bare minimum" they don't have to say yes.

But this is what they do. Their business is catering to the needs of the super rich, while throwing a few crumbs to the community to make them look good.

I won't be doffing my cap to them. I see them as part of the problem, not the solution.
 
Yeh, from some of the posts on this thread you’d they think it was conservative central office that had opened up there. They seem alright to me. They can't help that they are operating in an industry that is by nature stylish so their premises will reflect that. The usual hidebound nonsense.

And that the industry they operate in will have a range of clients, of course the ones with more money will be doing the more lavish developments.
 
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