This may be old news but it was new to us ok. Sunday’s trip to Stoke Newington for a fine day at Stokefest (marred only by unnecessary fences and police incompetence) provided a chance to see what happened to the site of the old Vortex jazz club on Church Street.
Did parasitic property developer Richard Midda keep his promise to locals to that any new tenant in the property would reflect the character of Church Street, a busy shopping area made up almost entirely of independent traders?
Did he fuck.
To be fair the writing was on the wall after he tore down the building to rebuild it, without planning and breaking his other promise to keep the original facade of the place in tact.
And now, to howls of outrage from the genteel residents, battery chicken peddlars Nandos have opened up.
In Spring of last year the Vortex was squatted after rumours that Starbucks were set to take over the site. A social centre was established with .any successful events were held there, despite attempted illegal evictions by Midda and his cronies. Locals rallied round to support the space and thousands signed a petition to keep the building reserved for community use..
Well most did, one blogger repeatedly lied about the social centre, needlessly and repeatedly called the old bill and generally made a tit out of herself. Strangely enough the very same blogger then went on to whinge about Nandos moving in, when she was so helpful to Midda whilst the building was occupied. Seems some people want it both ways.
But that’s by the bye, you can read about the whole ex-Vortex saga here.
Back to Nandos, a local campaign established to oppose the corporate take over of Church Street. Nevertheless Richard Midda ran roughshod over local sentiment in the name of making a quick buck.
Now the plight of Hackney’s middle classes is hard to get too upset over, the latte slurpers took over that part of Stoke Newington a long time ago and even the Angry Brigade couldn’t save it now.
But it does offer a timely warning to the ciabatta munching chinless ones. The final stage of gentrification is that the big corporations move in and that lovely little deli becomes a Tescos and the simply wonderful Thai restaurant turns into Pizza Express.
That’s capitalism folks.
2 responses so far ↓
Kris // June 10, 2008 at 5:49 pm |
lol.
Which bit was the lie?
The only people who made tits out of themselves were your dopey friends who managed to throw the good will of the community in our faces.
johnnyvoid // June 10, 2008 at 5:57 pm |
just to jog your memory
thousands of local people signed a petition supporting the social centre remaining open.
hundreds of local people attended an event and happily gave a donation
scores of local people attended meetings, volunteered and helped organise events
several people involved in opening and running the exVortex were local people
in the 10 weeks or so it was open it received two complaints, one of them from you
kinda gives a taste of what the local community really though don’t it
but well done, you got your chain store, hope you feel very proud