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Council's £50,000 attack on volunteer-run social centre

marker | 27.02.2009 19:46 | Culture | Free Spaces | Repression

Press release from The Common Place, for immediate release 7pm 27th Feb 2009

Today Leeds city centre's volunteer-run community space The Common Place lost the court battle to keep its entertainment licence (1). After three problem-free years the licence was withdrawn by Leeds City Council in July 2008 leaving the social centre without its main income. Leeds City Council perceived The Common Place as not being a true members club as we are open to huge variety of events and types of people. This openness had also led to lax procedures when signing non-members in, a condition of the licence.

The Common Place is a space used by many of the most marginalised and vulnerable members of society (2). Carl Gallager of Zermansky and Partners, acting for The Common Place estimates that Leeds City Council have spent in excess of £50 000 bringing this case to court in a attempt to shut down the centre, despite a chorus of support from dozens of groups who use the centre and over 1000 messages of support (3).

Common Place Volunteer Amy Stephenson said, "It beggars belief that despite the deepening recession and the lack of affordable, social city centre venues that the council has spent so much time and effort on the closure of this much-loved resource."

Dom Marsh said, "The Common Place is exactly the sort of place that the council should be encouraging. It provides free space to groups who might struggle to find affordable spaces as well as an amazing gig venue for up-and-coming local performers."

The Common Place Management Committee repeatedly attempted to meet with the Council licensing department to avoid a court case and to reassure them of our status and capability as a members' club. However, this attempt to identify and rectify any perceived problems was rejected outright by the council.

The future of the Common Place is now under serious threat. Without licensed events the ability of the social centre to provide a resource to the people of Leeds is uncertain.

Notes
1) The Common Place is a volunteer run members club and social centre at Wharf Street LS1 - details at www.thecommonplace.org.uk
2) The Common Place is used by groups including the award winning Common Conversation, The Permaculture Association, The United Refugee Organisation, TIDAL (a Leeds-based fair trade association), Theatre Under Fire, St. Anne's Homeless Support, Leeds Domestic Violence Partnership
3) The common place received over 1100 on-line signatures on it's petition and over 30 letters of support from individuals and groups including The Refuge Council, Leeds Metropolitan University Union, Leeds University Union, Church Action on Poverty, Leeds Stepping Out, Ladyfest Leeds, The Healthy Living Network.

marker

Additions

More, from an anonymous source

27.02.2009 23:12

I Wan to be like you
I Wan to be like you

My Attitude
My Attitude

A compassionate man
A compassionate man

I like guns
I like guns

Cops love me
Cops love me

I love cops
I love cops

Somebody being hit on Wan's myspace
Somebody being hit on Wan's myspace

Note the cross, bottom right
Note the cross, bottom right

In context
In context

Animation of somebody being hit in the face
Animation of somebody being hit in the face

Wan posing in riot gear
Wan posing in riot gear

The Common Place can't afford the huge staff training expenses necessary to get an ordinary premises license. Moreover, it is a members club as recognised in law. It seeks to defend these statutory privileges against the recent attacks from Leeds City Council.

Leeds City Council have said that they don't mind what The Common Place does, although they clearly don't 'get' it: They have stated that they were acting on the instructions of West Yorkshire Police.

Beneath this is something even more sinister; we found out that although some of the staff at the licensing department were helpful and sane, there was one particular individual called Wan Malachi who came after us very, very hard indeed. We found out that he was a frustrated ex-forces type who wanted to be a cop. He has links with far-right groups (as evidenced by viewing his myspace page) and enjoys dressing up and posing in riot gear (photos from myspace attached.)

West Yorkshire Police showed very little interest in The Common Place for most of its history as there was never any 'trouble' there (no fights, no drugs, etc.). This all seemed to change when they were told that this was one of the venues that intended to screen "On The Verge," a film about the SmashEDO campaign, last year. Since then they've clearly been on a mission to shut the place down. First they tried to get On The Verge banned by asking Leeds Council, who said that there was no reason the film should not be shown; then they started turning up and harassing the volunteers; finally they 'busted' The Common Place during a fundraiser for Earth First! Action Update.

As if to add insult to injury, they found at the 'bust' that all the licensing requirements were being complied with, but failed to mention that in court when they presented their video evidence entitled, "Operation Capital" choosing instead to present the reactions of a few people who were understandably distressed by having their evening spoiled.

I was there. I heard and saw it all.

Happy Snapper


Comments

Display the following 10 comments

  1. Get a normal premises licence — MonkeyBot
  2. Spy vs Spy — Wan.Malachi
  3. More Information about this cop-sucker — Activist Countersurveillance
  4. Wan — Hi
  5. He was an odd one — Wan***
  6. more Googling of Wan Malachi — anon
  7. Friend of a friend.... — nonan
  8. Spotted at 1 in 12 Club — Luther Blisset
  9. The WanKer — DirtyDoggy
  10. Doomed Metal Band — Rolf
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