The potential of the Silver Squat could have been enormous. Once the squat was secured last September a lot of hard work went into to getting it ready to open as Sheffield's only autonomous punk venue - a stage was built, the venue decorated, the bar area sorted out and the gigs started and more were booked. But the ambitions didn't stop here. In one of the other large empty buildings a skate park was constructed and living areas sorted, film nights were going to roll and a workshop on planning for the G8 summit in the UK took place before Christmas. Before the eviction, work had just started on the kitchen. Amidst the rapid redevelopment of Sheffield, the existing lack of small venues for grass roots music and radical gatherings in the centre, this was just the kind of space that was needed - a space that people could have free access to - to get together, hang out, plot, scheme, inspire, create and to rock - and all on our own terms.