London's music studios and creative spaces face eviction as homes plan expands
Martin Ashton and Paul Garfoot met years ago on London’s music circuit and in 2002 they decided to set up a by-musicians-for-musicians rehearsal studio.
asserted
they → face → studio
In 2014 they moved their business to a former clothing warehouse in Kentish Town and have worked hard to establish themselves.
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they → move → themselves
Today K-Town Studios employs six people and works with everyone from local bands to international artists.
asserted
Studios → employ → artists
Ashton told the London Standard: “The studio is full everyday with thousands of bands and is an essential creative hub for the area and beyond.”
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studio → tell → area
But after 12 years in NW5, Ashton, 59, and Garfoot, 54, fear they will soon be back on the road.
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they → fear → road
It is being billed as a “new creative neighbourhood” for London, but the undoubtedly creative Ashton and Garfoot won’t be a part of the £1 billion project, approved by Camden council over the summer because their space is earmarked for demolition when work begins in around 2028.
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work → bill → 2028
“Our future is uncertain at the moment,” said Ashton.
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Ashton → say → moment
“We would love to stay in the same location but it may not be practical.
uncertain
it → love → location
Personally, it would be a huge disappointment if a business we have put all our own money into and spent years building were to close and we’re sure the multitude of our clients would be devastated.”
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multitude → put → clients
Everybody knows that London needs new homes.
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London → know → homes
Housing consultant Molior calculates the precise need at 88,000 per year.
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Molior → calculate → year
The question is, where they should go, and at what cost?
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they → go → cost
One option backed by both local and national government is to repurpose industrial spaces, which currently cover about eight square miles of the capital.
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which → back → capital
To ease the transition from sheds to beds, the government now allows developers to convert light industrial units into homes without need for specific permission to change their use (regular planning permission is still required).
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permission → ease → use
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And the Greater London Authority’s draft new London Plan, which will govern development in the city for years to come, will for the first time encourage under-utilised or badly performing industrial estates to be reused as housing.
“Your studio is really connected to your creative identity.
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studio → read → identity
I felt very unsettled”
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I → feel → ?
Over the past two decades the Centre for London calculates that London has lost almost a quarter of its industrial space.
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London → calculate → space
This has pushed up rental costs, squeezing out businesses and costing the capital jobs.
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This → push → jobs
“London cannot afford to lose any more industrial land,” it concluded.
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it → afford → land
“Jobs in traditional industrial activities such as manufacturing, repair and warehousing are worth more than £78 billion to the city’s economy — but the true figure is likely to be even higher as this excludes creative industries.
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this → exclude → industries
After he graduated from art school Paul Cocksedge did what young creatives used to do.
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creatives → graduate → what
He moved to Hackney, renting a Victorian stable block-turned-carpentry workshop in 2004 and turning it into his studio.
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He → move → studio
Over the next decade his work, designing everything from furniture to installations, started to attract first national and then international acclaim.
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work → design → acclaim
Then shortly before the pandemic his landlord knocked on the door and informed him the building was to be converted into luxury flats and he would need to leave.
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he → knock → flats
“It was a real head spin,” said Cocksedge, now 48.
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Cocksedge → say → ?
I felt very unsettled.”
asserted
I → feel → ?
To make sense of his eviction Cocksedge decided to turn it into art, excavating three tons of concrete out of the studio floor and using the pieces to create a range of furniture, titled Excavation: evicted which was shown at Milan Fashion Week in 2017.
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which → make → 2017
Cocksedge, now based in Bethnal Green, is still upset by the memory of his unceremonious eviction, and is deeply worried about how creative spaces are being eaten up by developers.
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spaces → base → developers
“There is no big thinking or understanding of what a creative city does for the economy — it is crazy,” he said.
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he → be → economy
Younger generations, said Cocksedge, often can’t dream of having their own studio space.
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Cocksedge → say → space
Either they leave the capital or work from cafes on their laptops.
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they → leave → laptops
“It takes away the idea of making, building, throwing paint on a canvas,” he said.
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he → take → canvas
“London is going to become just a bit bland.”
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London → go → ?
Back in Kentish Town, Ashton is scouting for new sites, without any joy so far.
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Ashton → scout → joy
He hopes that Camden council or the developer, Yoo Capital, might step up to help him find another space.
uncertain
him → hop → space
Otherwise the business could fold.
uncertain
business → fold → ?
“We understand housing is needed but hope it is not at the expense of small businesses in the area and that the film quarter does bring film industry to the area and not just a giant housing estate.”
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quarter → understand → estate
A spokesman for Camden Council said part of its agreement with Yoo involves support to all existing companies on the site.
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part → say → site
A spokesman for Yoo said that it was liaising with those businesses and would be working closely with them as the project progresses.
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project → say → them
The displacement of small businesses is far from the only issue with recycling ex-industrial sites for housing.
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displacement → recycle → housing
…and 17 more, not listed.
The Aporia
