What do we really want from our capital city?

Lately I have been re-reading a lot of Baudelaire's work, and even though he was writing about the changes taking place in 19th century Paris, one cannot help but draw certain parallels with contemporary London. It's not exactly the same of course, Baudelaire was reacting to Haussmann's complete overhaul of the streets of Paris, whereas London's changes have been much more incremental, yet equally as profound. Since my return from overseas, I have frequently found myself asking:

WHAT DO WE REALLY WANT FROM OUR CAPITAL CITY? 

This might seem to be a bit of a silly question, but when you think about it, it really isn't. Doubts begin to unfold in our minds as to whether it serves it's function and, if you are anything like me, you might begin to wonder; who does it represent? What purpose does it serve? It's these simple reflections that open up a multitude of political, economic and social queries and of course there is no easy answer. 

At this point, I feel I need to reiterate the fact that I am not adverse to change. Change can be a good thing. I have received lots of feedback criticizing me for lamenting over a bygone London; a rose-tinted place that shimmers like a halcyon dream. This is not true. Like Baudelaire, I simply argue that perhaps the term 'progress' should be open to debate. What do we mean by that? Coming home to London and viewing it with fresh eyes, I feel there are a few things we're not addressing, and one of them is our understanding of the term 'progress'. 

Firstly, we need to consider the importance of both private and public space. We need to ask ourselves who has the right of access to certain areas, and who is being excluded, and for what reason. There are huge debates raging all over the world at the moment regarding personal privacy, and I completely agree that privacy is crucial to forming our internal sense of self. However, we shouldn't forget how important it is to have a communal space in which to share these identities. 

As more and more of our eclectic venues, clubs and bars throughout the city are transformed into inaccessible apartments or condos; I wonder if we are aware what we are collectively losing? Every Londoner at some point has invested something into the fabric of this city. Whether we like it or not, this is a political issue. For example, one of the bars which I helped manage has now become flats. I understand that things change, but I also remember the relentless barrage of attrition I was subjected to from people who had recently bought private properties nearby. The council were frequently involved and nearly always sided with the new residents. Subsequently our business was saddled with the exorbitant costs of noise reduction, extra security, shorter licensing hours etc (for more details, see here). Are residential house prices the only thing that councils care about? People might have argued that our business wasn't for everyone; true, it wasn't, but at least it was there and a lot of people cherished it. So, a thriving community available to hundreds of people has now been reduced to just another stagnant financial investment for the benefit of a few. 

And that is the point.

Maybe you don't care about bars in London; you may think, get over it, move on and do something else! There are other pubs, right? Well, it's not just about a few bars. This is part of a much wider culture transforming London; one that now makes moral judgements on how we chose to live our lives, in our city. 

"Head out of Space," project, contact Donna Ridington. 

Gay bars and clubs throughout Soho are being forced into closure; now 'The Yard Bar', hot on the high-heels of 'Madame Jojos' and 'Manbar', is to be closed. These are not just redundant pubs. These are spaces that have played a part in forming our internationally celebrated, progressive attitudes towards human sexuality. Maybe you aren't gay so you don't care. Okay, do you like music? What about live music venues, such as The Marquee Club, The Astoria or The Metro? All gone, and now the much loved '12 Bar' on Denmark street is to close. Perhaps you are interested in the internationally renowned London art scene? Well, for the artists themselves, it's now practically impossible to find affordable studio or gallery space in the central London area. Projects such as Head out of Space have been actively documenting the increasing trouble artists have to exist in the capital. And let's not even begin to unpack the nightmare that sees compulsory purchase orders being served to local Londoners living in affordable housing, even in greater London, as these spaces are handed over to foreign based, private property developers (for more details see, Barnet). 

"Head out of Space, " project, contact Donna Riddington

You may not engage with any of these particular issues, but what happens when something you value is taken away? What will you do then? More to the point, what exactly is replacing these social spaces? A gated community or a shopping mall is not an authentic 'public space' by any stretch of the imagination. We have no agency to define the values of spaces like that. I looked at a copy of the Evening Standard the other day, in between the endless adverts for new unaffordable properties and stories from 'exclusive' VIP society events, I found nothing of the things I once loved about my old hometown. This isn't just a reactionary rant on behalf of the pubs I used to visit, or the venues in which I used to play, this affects everyone. Ordinary citizens have all contributed something to its creation, and yet now we're being excluded from more and more areas. London is rapidly becoming a new Versailles, and for those of you not up on your French history, let's just say that didn't end too well. 

If we really want London to become a massive gated community; an international playground for the super rich; one that is full of people living their separate lives; shut away, hiding in virtual spaces online, then that is fine; but let's be honest about it. Perhaps, as Marshall Berman argues, we will discover new, unimagined spaces in which to congregate and fresh communities will evolve. That is all well and good as a utopian fantasy; but this is still our capital. We need to ensure access to a diverse range of spaces for everyone to enjoy, not just a privileged minority, otherwise it isn't really our city. 


Support: "Save the Yard"
Check out: "Head Out of Space."