A new squatted Social Centre has opened in Brighton at 43 Gardner Street, the old premises of the Peace & Environment Centre, in the North Laines. The previous owners had been put out of business by astronomical rent increases, part of the massive gentrification Brighton has seen over the several past years. Rich yuppie-hipsters have crawled out of London and the suburbs to come and party, and end up moving into what used to be affordable housing. They help landlords drive up rents, pushing working and poor people out of their communities. The construction of luxury apartment blocks in Brighton, like the 1897 (ex-college) building, the North Rd site, the controversial Sainsburys development plan and the penthouses under construction just off Sydney street, are part of a strategy by developers to drive the poor out of town, but these crooks don’t act alone, they are aided and abetted by the council, the planning commission, and various business interests. Profit is their game and they want it bad enough to drive people out of their homes.

Brighton’s City of Culture bid is a joke, the establishment takes what it likes from the creative under-belly of the city, but gives absolutely nothing back, soon only the rich will be able to afford to live here, destroying the vibrant, multi-class/racial atmosphere of the sunny city we call home. This is a disgrace.

Blair and his cronies in New-Labour are crusading the cause of private enterprise in our communities, selling out our needs to wealthy capitalists, securing freedom for the already rich whilst attacking the poorest sections of society, cutting our access to decent housing, and devastating public services.

Now Bush wants an oil war with Iraq, Tony steps in line, because they are cut from the same cloth. They are only looking after the interests of the oil companies, international arms dealers, wealthy venture capitalists and multi-nationals.
Democracy is a sham, the politicians don’t care about the general public, because whoever you vote for – The System remains UNCHANGED.

In the context of this we reject parliamentary politics, seeing it to be one of the root causes of peoples alienation. The only source of lasting positive social change is when working people get together, in the places where we work and where we live, to fight directly for what we need from the bosses, experts, politicians, the corporations and the rich – Outside of and against the conventional decision-making institutions of this society. We reject the vicious market economy that pits us against each other, and the state violence that backs up this system of exploitation for the profit of the bosses.

At this Social Centre we will offer workshop space, film showings, talks, an Open Mic night, a Free Shop Bring n’ Blag tat show, radical literature, advice on squatting and legal issues, plus tea, coffee, and food where possible!! We will be open from 11am till 7pm each day for you to drop in, we have a no drugs, no drink, no dogs policy as we are a Kid-Friendly environment. Soz folks.

We need support by the public so please come and give us feedback of what you’d like to see happen, our major focus is spreading resistance to the impending war on Iraq, and promoting the plight of the Palestinian people. Due to the situation with the estate agents we doubt if we will be open for very long, soon the North Laines will have nothing on it but chain store boutiques and coffee stores, good fun if you have got money to spend on products, but for the socially excluded its just another place you can only ever walk though and look.