Camden Inferno -
Camdenregular | 15.02.2008 22:58 | Free Spaces | Globalisation | London
Will the fire in Camden see another area fall to corporate High Street culture? Wild rumours of a corporate plot behind the fire may have nothing in them, but one thing is certain another part of Camden is under threat.
With the Stables Market already “redesigned” despite a massive campaign and with the plans restarted once again for Camden Tube station to be rebuilt eliminating the Electric Ballroom and a number of other small shops Camden already suffering from corporate assault.
Now the Camden fire threatens a large number of stalls in the canal market so the
diversity of the area is under even more serious assault. Rumours of conspiracy are rife even Sky News is reporting stall holders that are too scared to report the true culprits: “Several traders and residents believe the blaze which tore through Camden Market in north London is suspicious, but are worried about revenge attacks if they go public. Sky News cannot reveal the name on locals' lips for legal reasons.” Alongside this a number of stall holders have said they noted some unusual visitors in the canal Market in the last few weeks described as “business types in suits”. Why did the fire engines take so long to arrive the people of Camden are asking? This may just be paranoia but remember in the battle for the Stables market stallholders were warned not to publicly oppose the plans if they wanted to keep their stalls.
Will the Canal Market be turned into another glass fronted venue for high street market interests in the wake of the fire? With the recent loss of Leeds Corn Exchange the corporate assault against small scale alternative businesses seems to be rising to new heights. Even mainstream media is worried so anyone who values Camden should. As the Evening Standard says:
“All have required battle after battle against architects and developers who despise the Victorian buildings that appear to hold the character of these places in their bones. Yet if it were not for the much-abused conservation movement, not one of these neighbourhoods would survive, not one.
Many have been lost in my lifetime, such as Chelsea's World's End, Cable Street, old Canary Wharf and most of Spitalfields. At this moment, the City of London, its lifestyle parasitic on conservation areas around its borders, is fighting to demolish one of its last surviving areas of character, Smithfield. There is no argument over what would replace Camden Lock if the fire were used as an excuse for redevelopment. Go two miles up the canal to Maida Vale and look at Paddington Basin. This forest of glass boxes is what modern development does for canalside London.”
Don’t let them get away with it. Another vibrant area may be wiped out for a cloned area of soulless shops.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/20080211/tuk-camden-fire-we-know-who-lit-the-blaz-45dbed5.html
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23437920-details/Camden+Lock+was+just+perfect+-+so+rebuild+it/article.do
Now the Camden fire threatens a large number of stalls in the canal market so the
diversity of the area is under even more serious assault. Rumours of conspiracy are rife even Sky News is reporting stall holders that are too scared to report the true culprits: “Several traders and residents believe the blaze which tore through Camden Market in north London is suspicious, but are worried about revenge attacks if they go public. Sky News cannot reveal the name on locals' lips for legal reasons.” Alongside this a number of stall holders have said they noted some unusual visitors in the canal Market in the last few weeks described as “business types in suits”. Why did the fire engines take so long to arrive the people of Camden are asking? This may just be paranoia but remember in the battle for the Stables market stallholders were warned not to publicly oppose the plans if they wanted to keep their stalls.
Will the Canal Market be turned into another glass fronted venue for high street market interests in the wake of the fire? With the recent loss of Leeds Corn Exchange the corporate assault against small scale alternative businesses seems to be rising to new heights. Even mainstream media is worried so anyone who values Camden should. As the Evening Standard says:
“All have required battle after battle against architects and developers who despise the Victorian buildings that appear to hold the character of these places in their bones. Yet if it were not for the much-abused conservation movement, not one of these neighbourhoods would survive, not one.
Many have been lost in my lifetime, such as Chelsea's World's End, Cable Street, old Canary Wharf and most of Spitalfields. At this moment, the City of London, its lifestyle parasitic on conservation areas around its borders, is fighting to demolish one of its last surviving areas of character, Smithfield. There is no argument over what would replace Camden Lock if the fire were used as an excuse for redevelopment. Go two miles up the canal to Maida Vale and look at Paddington Basin. This forest of glass boxes is what modern development does for canalside London.”
Don’t let them get away with it. Another vibrant area may be wiped out for a cloned area of soulless shops.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/20080211/tuk-camden-fire-we-know-who-lit-the-blaz-45dbed5.html http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23437920-details/Camden+Lock+was+just+perfect+-+so+rebuild+it/article.do
Camdenregular