A walking tour of gentrification from Dalston to London Fields On the 28th of September 2008 there was a walking tour of Dalston and Hackney Central to examine gentrification in these areas, and this is a booklet produced to accompany it. The idea for the tour was born when Dalston resident and Poet Michael Rosen attacked the way Dalston is being “regenerated” with an article in the paper Socialist Worker on the 6th of May 2008. Rosen said; “But it hasn’t been “regenerated” for the people living and working there. They’ve been shoved out. The only thing that’s been regenerated are the profits of the property com- panies and it’s the Labour council tipping our money into their pockets that has enabled them to do it. Regeneration? Degeneration, more like. ” Jules Pipe, Mayor of Hackney responded by accusing Burnt houses on Ashwin st, Dalston Michael Rosen of being part of a ‘far left contingent’ that wanted to “keep Hackney crap ”, to which Rosen respond- On the walking tour we will go to see and hear for ed: ourselves and ask what is happening in this area. Who is in control of the changes and who are they for? Who is being “The point is, I don’t think Hackney is crap. I’ve never hurt by them? Is this somewhere we are going to be able thought Hackney is crap. I’ve never thought that the wrong to live in a few years time, if we sit back and watch things people were living in Hackney. However, I do think the ‘develop’, or will we be ‘regenerated’ out of the area? council is crap. The accusation arcs back to Pipe himself. Perhaps he thinks Hackney and its people are crap and This booklet aims to give a space to let a few of the voices it’s his job to see it bulldozed, replanned and the people we will hear on the tour tell us what they see happening to moved on. A different matter altogether. ” their locality. Wharf. She also reassured us that the owners and the New Labour council DALSTON SQUARE: shop units around ‘Dalston Square’ that supports them. ” had been “restricted” and that there Barratt homes is working on the wouldn’t be any “smelly fast food” Dalston Square development site that outlets like in the rest of Dalston, the will be “over 550 new homes, shops, a shops would be boutiques and a small library and archive, plus a brand new Marks and Spencer “for when you run station for the East London line exten- out of milk”. Barrett Homes had “aspi- sion at Dalston Junction.” Alastair rations” for Dalston she said, pointing Baird of Barratt homes has said: “In at pictures of Shoreditch, Hoxton and my view, Dalston Square is the next Broadway Market. The new residents big piece of the London jigsaw – the of Dalston Square can purchase se- regeneration project that will finally lift cure underground parking for a mere Hackney into another league. Judging 20,000 and jump on the tube without by the amount of advance interest, the leaving the ‘Square’. It seems they will market seems to think so, too. ” be effectively insulated from interac- tion with the other residents, the ones Two of the authors of this booklet vis- for whom affordable does not begin at ited the marketing suite to check out 250,000 for a one bedroom. what was on offer and it became obvi- ous that local and low income people Now demolished and under the com- were not the ones being catered ing development is the historic Four for. The saleswoman told us 77% of Aces club which was occupied as a phase one had been sold; half to buy protest for over a year. The Four Aces to let investors and the other half to and Cubies were important socializ- first time buyers from the City; “living ing places for the black community. A in zone two, working in zone one”. letter to the Hackney Gazette on the She pointed to the tube map blown up 30th of March 2006 said “These days on the wall to show that the new line we are under attack again, not from would connect Dalston to Shadwell, racists with baseball bats, but from Dalston Square advertising just a couple of stops from Canary developers, middle class property Juan’s story of The Sound After I sent the letter I couldn’t get leave when the owners got planning and Music Shop at 66 Dal- him on the phone again, he was permission to do work, but since either on leave or he was in a meet- then the shop has sat empty and no ston Lane. ing. I went to the auction and when work has been done. our lot came up the auctioneer said I had rented my shop for thirty years “We’ll try to sell it as one lot”. We from Hackney council when in 2002 had been told our shops would be they told us that this row of sixteen sold as individual lots. There was shops was up for sale. After the someone there talking to Dubai on a Council ran out of money to pay for mobile phone who bought all sixteen essential services the Government for £1.8 million. We were conned out told them they had to sell their com- of our shops because we didn’t have mercial properties, including these a chance to club together and buy sixteen shops. They gave us a rough them. price guide for the properties and Dalston Lane shops after the fires The whole stretch has deteriorated. they told us we had to go to auction. The buildings are listed and so the Now the council says they are ne- owners have not been able to get gotiating to buy the properties back I rang a Mr Scott, in the council to planning permission for the flats but that after that we will still have to ask why I had to go to the auction to they want to build. In the six years leave. buy my shop. He said that they had since the sale there have been four to get the best price so they could or five mysterious fires. There was If they had sold them to us individu- pay for more services. I asked if I a massive fire next door that took ally then all the shops would have paid more then the estimate could three buildings down and burnt half been open because it doesn’t pay I keep it out of the auction, and he our roof. There were 35 firemen who you, as a small business, to keep told me to add £20,000 to the ask- saved my shop and two squatters your shop empty. At the moment we ing price, and put that offer in writ- had to jump out of the window to still feel insecure because we don’t ing, which I did, believing him when escape the fire. he said he would sort it out with the know what is going to happen. It doesn’t look like we are part of the auctioneer. The bakers that were on this stretch Council’s plans for the future. It is not for over 45 years were made to good to throw out your local shops. Juan in the the Sound and Music Shop on Dalston Lane The battle of Broadway cafe he has run for 31 years and of the cafe on Boxing Day 2005 af- Market. Lowell 'Spirit' Grant who has been ter the developer evicted protesters threatened with the same treat- and tore it apart demonstrated the Broadway Market runs pictur- ment. Tony & Spirit are popular power of collective action. This defi- esquely from London Fields down local figures who run shops used ant act strengthened the resolve to the Regent’s canal. A short stroll of those involved and made them from the trendy bars of Hoxton more confident. and Shoreditch, over the last few years it has developed its own rash "This is where I was born, I've seen of middle-class boutiques, delis the changes going around. People and gastro - pubs. While some have come in and taken over ev- celebrate the gentrification-fuelled erything and local people are mov- ‘rebirth’ of Broadway Market and ing out. My family has been pushed the consolidation of its ‘brand iden- out right and left. What those peo- tity’ with the advent of an organic ple did to Tony & Spirit is totally out farmer’s market catering to inhabit- of order. If all of us had got together ants of the area’s mushrooming in the first place this would never yuppie apartments, less affluent have happened. If you don't like residents have mainly been victims, whats happening around you have not beneficiaries, of this striking to stand up and be counted. It's transformation. been nice to see those responsible Francesca’s cafe occupied! having to look over their shoulders The locals, however, have not by local working people who can’t as everyday people take over" taken the process lying down. afford to use the new boutiques In November 2005 members of the and up market cafes that have local community occupied Franc- sprung up in Broadway Market. Floyd, Broadway Market esca's Cafe on Broadway market and held many protests and public What has been achieved has dem- meetings. The focus was on Tony onstrated the power of independent [thanks to Mute and Hackney inde- Platia who was evicted from the action.