Thursday 7 October 2010

Today's Non-Story



Quite a handsome looking building isn't it?  This former police station, in Leytonstone, east London, is a listed building which has been boarded up for three years.  It is now on the market for £800,000 and the estate agents expect it to sell for more than £1 million.  The deadline for sealed bids is tomorrow.

However, now the sale can't go ahead.  About 20 unemployed squatters and their dogs have moved into the derelict three-storey building last week and changed the locks.  They told local shopkeepers they plan to start up a community centre and provide shelter for the homeless.

A cafe owner is furious at the waste of police funds.  He said: "The police moved to a new station, which is rented, in the town centre.  Every day they are losing money on this.  It is ridiculous."

Will anyone be held responsible for allowing a building to sit empty for three years?  Surely the police, of all people, should have been alert to the possibility of squatters. Then again, it's not their own money they're losing, so what does it matter.

source

6 comments:

Alex Porter said...

There's one near where I stay in Madrid. It's great. They run workshops, nurseries, have parties with good bands on etc. I think that there's going to be a lot more of this. The banks stole our money and the government let them so why should citizens play by the rules?

Matt Wardman said...

Alex

Because taking revenge on an innocent third party is hardly fair, is it?

I get robbed. So I go and steal next door's savings.

I think not.

Unknown said...

Alex - What you say is right but I have known squats that were really nothing more than Fagin's Academy

subrosa said...

You obviously have experience of it Alex. ;)

Still I don't approve of stealing.

subrosa said...

I'd agree with you Matt, but let's not forget the police were actually stealing taxpayers' money leaving this place standing empty for 3 years. 3 years ago the property boom was at its height.

subrosa said...

You too have experience of these places John? My my. ;)

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