[Imc-birmingham] Leads for the Spotted Dog and moaning yuppies

[phunkee]

Shiar wrote:

>P.S. i forgot to say that i'm only free during the day, till 5pm.
>  
>
Sorry i cannae make it, but here are some leads. Hope they're useful. 
There's a lot here, but it would be good to focus on the effects of 
gentrification more broadly and the resistance that's emerged to fight 
it. There's been a lot of coverage of this on the newswire, come to 
think of it, it might be worth mentioning the Cottage of Content 
occupation last year that sought to re-instate a community resource in 
the face of 'development' ie. selling off a valuable community and youth 
centre to the highest bidder. The building is now derelict again since 
the social centre was evicted last year.

> Hi Friends,
>
> I wanted to draw your attention to this important petition that I 
> recently signed.  They will have to stop playing live music and it is 
> likely that will destroy this wonderful little pub in Digbeth.  The 
> tenants opposite are complaining about the noise, and if they get 
> their way we will lose a cool little place.  Please take a moment to 
> sign the petition.  I am not convinced this will help as Birmingham 
> Council are making it more and more difficult for music venues like 
> this to survive, but it's worth a go.
>
> I feel quite strongly about this as the great pubs in Digbeth are a 
> real slice of old Brum.  Some of the best nights out that I have had 
> are in the old Digbeth pubs, and I am not alone in saying that we need 
> to try and save them.
>
> "Support the Spotted Dog, Alcester St!"
> http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/spotteddog?e
>
> I really think this is an important cause, and I'd like to encourage 
> you to add your signature too. It's free and takes less than a minute 
> of your time and please pass this on to like-minded friends who are 
> not on my list.
>
> Thanks.


http://www.thestirrer.co.uk/spotted_dog_2307071.html  SPOTTED DOG BARKS 
BACK IN DIGBETH CAMPAIGN 23-07-2007

http://www.thestirrer.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=496   Spotted Dog 
leads way to a quiet Digbeth

> The issue of the spotted dog has been picked up another forum.
>
> SkyscraperCity
>
> This site seems to be frequented by architects and those in the 
> construction trade or those just interested in city's and the 
> buildings that populate them.
>
> http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=498994

> I don't know if everyone knows, but there is an online petition about 
> the abatement order against The Spotted Dog. The address is 
> www.keepdigbethvibrant.co.uk

> John Tighe, landlord of the Spotted Dog, tells the Stirrer today that 
> he feels victimised.
>
> See http://www.thestirrer.co.uk/spotted_dog_2307071.html
>
> He claims that although he's been served with a Noise Abatement Order, 
> no decibel readings were taken by Environmental Health, and that he 
> isn't allowed to see the report on which the Order was based. So much 
> for open government.
>
> Now that he's appealing against the Order, he should be free to have 
> music in the pub garden again, but has been warned that his licence 
> will be revoked if does - even though it's perfectly legal.
>
> Someone, somewhere, doesn't like this campaign very much.


> What's amazing is that the fellow behind the online petition to keep 
> Digbeth vibrant is actually a resident of Abacus apartments.
>
> This is really important, because he reckons that the majority of 
> people in the block support his view that the Spotted Dog should be 
> allowed to continue with its garden parties.
>
> If only a tiny minority even in the closest block don't want to stop 
> the fun, in whose name are the local council acting?
>
> See http://www.thestirrer.co.uk/2407071.html

Epic Skate park is now closed i think due to the withdrawal of its 
drinks license

> Skateboard park's future in doubt
>
> Jul 10 2007 Birmingham Post
>
>
> By Neil Connor, Chief Reporter
>
>
> Concerns have been raised over youth facilities in Birmingham after
> the future of a popular inner-city skateboarding park was thrown into 
> doubt.
>  
> Management at the Epic skate park on Moseley Road, Moseley,
> was forced to pull out of the project following financial problems
> following the withdrawal of its drinks licence.
>  
> The lease for the park, which is the largest indoor facility of its 
> type in Europe,
> has now been taken over by a rock climbing company which is housed in 
> adjacent
> rooms in the former bus depot.
>  
> The new management has vowed to keep the park open, but Epic's former 
> chief
> is concerned that the skateboarding park's days are numbered and that 
> hundreds
> of youths who attend the venue will have nowhere to go.
>  
> Keith Marsden, who set up Epic five years ago, blamed the police, 
> council and a
> bitter campaign from a handful of local residents for the failure of 
> the park to stay afloat.
>  
> He pulled out of Epic after the drinks licence at the centre was revoked
> following a campaign from residents which was backed by the police.
>  
> This meant that funds could not be raised to support the centre through
> the staging of events such as concerts and club nights.
>  
> Mr Marsden also voiced concern about the lack of support for young 
> skateboarders
> in Birmingham in the run up to the 2012 London Olympics.
>  
> The park has the country's only Olympic-sized indoor half pipe,
> a ramp which allows skateboarders to perform stunts.
>  
> Skateboarding is to become an Olympic sport for the London event,
> and a handful of boarders at the park have benefited from a training
> scheme which has seen them become some of the country's brightest 
> hopes for a medal.
>  
> It was hoped by Mr Marsden that the venue could have been used as
> the British skateboarding team's base at the Olympics.
>  
> Mr Marsden said: "There is no way that the new owners are going to keep
> the half pipe as the rock climbing centre would not have taken over 
> the whole
> building if they were not planning to expand.
> "There is simply not enough room at the site to expand if the half 
> pipe does not give way."
>
> He added: "We had a very small amount of people complain about the venue
> who have prejudices against skateboarders -
> who are actually white middle class kids in scruffy clothes.
>  
> "We have never had one arrest at the centre throughout five years.
> We are also situated in an area which includes the Moseley Dance Centre,
> a couple of pubs and about five takeaways which stay open most of the 
> night.
>  
> "It seems that we were unfairly targeted over the licence by people 
> who want
> to live in a vibrant area - but don't want what comes with it.
>  
> "It has always been a loss-making venture, but with the bar we have been
> able to stage events to keep us open.
>  
> "However, once the police withdrew their support for the license, our 
> days were numbered.
> Now we have lost the licence there was no alternative but to pull out -
> but I do not think there is much of a future at Epic now."
>  
> Tom Relf, assistant manager at Creation Climbing Centre, which has taken
> over the lease of Epic, said it was too early to say if the new owners 
> would
> keep the half pipe.
>  
> But he said they would try to make Epic a "bigger and better" skate park.
> He added:
>  
> "At the moment there are a lot of different rumours going around, but 
> the reality is 'watch this space'."
>  

The Fiddle and Bone seems to have gone through a similar scenario.

Fiddle & Bone to re-open as a pub
Nov 8 2004
 
http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_objectid=14847684&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=fiddle---bone-to-re-open-as-a-pub-name_page.html

Yuppies sound off over city noises
Jun 14 2007

http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/news/columnists/thestirrer/news/tm_method=full%26objectid=19295295%26siteid=50002-name_page.html


These are the effects of Birmingham's much heralded "regeneration", the 
creation of a series of Yuppie Ghettos or so-called 'gated-communities' 
that do fuck all to contribute to these area socially, culturally or 
economically. Instead they manage to cleanse away the vital organs of 
community life, be it our pubs, workplaces or social housing.

Couldn't help thinking of the pathfinder schemes in cities across the 
country too: Pathfinder Schemes  
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/birmingham/2005/02/305219.html

"In the name of urban renewal, creating sustainable communities, social 
cleansing on a vast scale is being pushed through unchallenged."

*Gentrification*

Keith Parkins and Mick Lane have written some great articles on the 
gentrification of Liverpool and Farnborough's city centre. There's also 
stuff on Queen's market in East London: 
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/04/308927.html . The developers 
making the most of all this and so much more including Longbridges 
'development' are Birmingham's St. Modwens: St Modwens the destroyer  
https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/birmingham/2005/03/307921.html

The occupation of Broadway market: Occupation against Hackney's 
gentrification  
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/london/2005/12/329506.html

What's Happening to Housing? 
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/liverpool/2006/10/353224.html

"Construction work seems to be taking place on every corner of Liverpool 
city centre, tarting up town in time for the Capital of Culture 
celebrations in 2008. But within easy walking distance of this rich 
man's paradise project, squalid homes are being starved of repair money, 
whilst more than adequate social housing dwellings are torn down. What 
is the Lib Dem(olition) council's agenda? Why, profits of course! All 
the rich newcomers will need somewhere to live, so working class people 
have to pay with their homes! But campaigners are fighting back..."

On a positive note, remember Fred Grove, well he's finally won!

Fred Grove - victim of redevelopment  
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/birmingham/2006/08/349201.html

Fred Grove talks to The Stirrer about his battle to keep his house in 
the face of redevelopment  
javascript:var%20target=window.open('http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid452322880','FredGrove','scrollbars=no,resizable=no,status=no,width=510,height=610');

phunkee