Save The Spike Petition

[furryjumpergirl]

More Peckham than East Dulwich-related, but still worth a space on here I'd say:

http://trustedplaces.com/blog/2008/08/11/act-now-to-save-the-spike/

I hadn't even heard of The Spike before this, but it seems a terrible shame that it could disappear.

[Louisa]

Oh who bloody cares.

Louisa.

[furryjumpergirl]

Well, clearly not enough people!!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

That's the trouble - never heard of it. I remember when it was a children's materials/recycling centre, nothing since. If they declare they are there for the people of Peckham and then never publicise it, it's hardly surprising that it's being closed down. Obviously only there for a small clique.

[kford]

Read the piece, but still don't really know what it is. Maybe that's their problem. As far as I'm concerned, I'm out (in Duncan Bannatyne voice).

[Asset]

sounds like a good resource for a community. even if some people on here have never heard of it I'm sure plety of people have and use it regularly. it seems a shame it has to close.

[MelbourneGr]

Louisa Wrote:

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> Oh who bloody cares.

>

> Louisa.

Rude.

I've not heard of this place before, most probably because it's advertised more in the Peckham area. Always a shame when these places are closed down.

[nancysmum]

it seems east dulwich doesn't want to embrace peckham - there does seem to be some nimby-ism going on.

I think it's good to know what educational / creational resources are out there, in case we can use them at some point. so I have signed.

Also, southwark council is most probably only selling it to make more housing in an already over populated and under serviced area.

so i say, well done furryjumpergirl for bringing it to our attention.

[PeckhamRose]

I agree with Nancysmum. I had not heard of this but due to the social depravation in a place like Peckham there is going to be a lot of needy worthy causes and lots of self help groups and socially funded organisations to help with everyone and anything from kids living in homes where there are mentally ill adults, to helping kids and adults escape their drug and knife and gun culture, and so on and so forth, that most people I suspect on this forum particularly would never have any reason to hear about or come across. There simply can't be the funding for all of them can there? Dunno! I would be interested to know why Southwark Council have suddenly decided to stop this place. Maybe someone will ask a question at the next Peckham Community Council meeting. Not that that will save it, since CCs are reactionary and pretty much a talking shop. Thank you furryjumpergirl for bringing it to our attention indeed. Louisa you can be such an ar$e.

[????]

Sooooo...no-one has heard of it...no-one knows what it does...and the massive total of 1000 people have signed up to support it...meanwhile Southwark Council could get ?500,000 for this space in one way or another, it's just possible that that Southwark might make better use of that money or space than the, no doubt worthy, but somewhat obscure "Spike"...I'm with Louisa

[nancysmum]

Maybe we should all go down and take a look at the place before we condemn it.

[snoozequeen1]

I was puzzled when sent this petition to sign from another source, because have lived a mile away for 20 years and have never heard of the place. Nor has anyone I know ever heard of it.

Never seen a poster or a flyer in a local library or cafe, or a piece in any of the local papers.

If they were showing films cinema, wouldn't it have been advertised somewhere at some point? If they offer complementary therapies, permaculture training, and all they other things mentioned, they could post some photos or video clips or copies of past ads to show what they've been doing? Also tried to work out where it was when I drove past the other day - have been driving past that address for years, but couldn't see anything.

Just wondering if it's been getting funding all these years and who from!

[woodie]

thx

[MelbourneGr]

If you haven't heard of something - it does not mean it doesn't exist...

A quick google search returns loads of results - past events, the official web site, the spike facebook page (which has loads of memebers) etc.

[Jennyc]

We've written a few articles about this in the South London Press and it's also been in the Southwark News. It's a really great place that provides a lot for the local community - vastly reduced rates for local musicians who want to record or rehearse (one band based there have just been signed) and they encourage bands to share instruments with each other, a well being clinic that offers really cheap yoga and martial arts and a fantastic community garden with a veg patch and greenhouses that anyone can go along to and get involved in.

Dozens of people have written to us pleading for it to be saved, and its fans include Mark Thomas and Manu Chao who have both been down for visits.

Well worth saving I'd say.

[Louisa]

We still going on about this place? What a waste of money! There are plenty of other places nearby who offer similar facilities whats the deal with having to travel a little further?

Louisa.

[Eileen]

snoozequeen1 Wrote:

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Just wondering if it's been getting funding all

> these years and who from!

One of the points about this place is that it has had NO funding ever from the Council. It used a derelict piece of land between the railway lines as the lines leave Peckham Rye station, where one goes south to Nunhead and the other north to London Bridge. That is why it is known mainly to people who WALK along Consort Road. The entrance is on the east side under the railway bridge and between those lines. The Council left the land derelict and it was used by fly tippers. These people went in and cleared it up 10 years ago and made very good use of it. Two years ago the Council remembered they had the land and gave them a lease for two years at a small rental Then the Council came a few months ago and said you have to get out within weeks unless you pay us ?500,000 .There was no other notification. They got a stay of execution to see if they could have the decision modified and the price lowered; but end August seems now to be the eviction date.

No evidence has been provided, that I have seen, of the Council having calculated the costs this place is saving them in providing such very useful and relevant community facilities at such a cheap rate. So in Southwark the Council continues on a path of closing down working community facilities while spending millions picking up the pieces of the lack of community facilities for bored and alienated young people.

[Pierre]

Well trolled Louisa ;)

Thanks for the information, Jennyc & Eileen.

: P

[PeckhamRose]

This is on BBC Local news today Friday 29th August 2008.

Very interesting.

[Scylla100]

This is terrible, some community minded people in Peckham took some derlict land and built a no-cost community centre. Now the counil wants a once time only cash boost for its budget (okay just my cynical guess). Its the same thing as selling off school playing fields to balance your budget - once its gone you can never ever get it back.

I wonder if its all about the council wanting money, right here right now to go into something like last year's budget overspend. Its also really dumb to do it now as they'll get a crap price if they sell the land and building - at least if they'd sold it all before the credit crunch us taxpayers would have got a better deal.

For a no cost community centre it does very well - you have to invest money and develop a place before you get more people hearing about it and using the space. Instead of closing it down the council should be helping the Spike to develop a plan for expanding on its good work and developing the centre further.

I'm personally interesting in living in a community with good schools, nice parks, well run care homes, youth schemes, and locally run vibrant, viable community centres - even if I don't personally use all of these services, I still want them to be okay.

Its definately worth it to make a fuss.

Scylla (with more then my 2p worth)

Scylla

[AllforNun]

Great article in this months Time Out titled Diamond Geezers : well worth a read and well worth supporting .

[David Mc]

Isn't TO weekly?

[*Bob*]

David Mc Wrote:

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> Isn't TO weekly?

Not the South London edition.

We just get a bi-annual single-sheet photocopy of a review of Chez Bruce from 2002.

[Burbage]

Louisa Wrote:

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> Oh who bloody cares.

I do. I went there to advise them on something, and was fascinated. The space is used for a variety of community projects, from music to horticulture, both therapeutic and otherwise, that would cost the community a lot more than a one-off fee of half a million to provide. But the history of the place is stronger. It's not quite the 'impeccable Victorian Building' it was when it closed over twenty years ago, but it's still an impressive building. There's a lot of social history behind it, and there are still people living in Southwark who were in the spike when it really was a spike, who can tell some interesting tales.

True, the land may be valuable as flats or offices (though, being wedged between two rail lines, I wouldn't envy the purchasers of whatever fibreboard extortion might erupt), but they've had 23 years in which they've done nothing with it, and, if flats are so important, there are plenty of parks which could do without a corner. If Lambeth can use bits of Brockwell Park for bus lane and Bromley put flats in Crystal Palace Park, I don't see why Southwark couldn't raise the money by putting Burgess Park under concrete, especially if they'll be putting a tram through it. Surely a vibrant, creative community facility, is more important that a bit of shoddy grass. After all, most dogs would be perfectly happy to empty themselves at home.

Two relevant links:

http://briandeer.com/social/london-homeless.htm (a Times article from 1985)

http://www.george-orwell.org/The_Spike/0.html (The Orwell essage 'The Spike')

[AllforNun]

yes sorry weekly.......article about the fact you can buy a Peckham diamond from them, great present idea ! They go round and collect glass from burgled cars and polish them up, putting them in there own little gift bags. great fund raising idea as well.