Worcester social centre under threat of illegal eviction

[Gerrard Winstanley]

 Todays events....

22.10.2008 19:08
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/10/411315.html?c=on#comments

At around 11am this morning, two people were spotted outside our
building photographing what we assume to be the points of entry and
looking quite suprised that we are still in the building. A short
while later they disappeared and a little after midday a car pulls up.
In between parking and making it to our front door, the bailiff had to
waste time interacting with a traffic warden due to his shit parking!

We had a largeish group of us in there and a group of maybe 6 people
outside photographing and making their presence felt. The bailiff was
told what was what and soon left, after speaking to the people at work
in the building next door to us.

Thanks again to all involved, including the ASS and the Bristol
Housing Act - and all of you who gave you solidarity and support to us.

We are getting ready to open our doors to the public soon.. we still
need to get a few things ready first. If anybody wants to drop by and
get involved, the number is 07965 710 354 - we don't get to check the
emails too much, but all are welcome to come and create, help set it
up, offer any pointers, or even just coming up for a communal meal and
a chat.

And Worcester is in the West Midlands :)

Thanks again to everyone, you're all amazing.

Wet Paint
mail e-mail: wetpaint at riseup.net 

--- In diggers350 at yahoogroups.com, "Gerrard Winstanley" <office at ...>
wrote:
>
> New social centre under threat of illegal & possibly violent eviction
> tomorrow
> 
> Wet Paint | 21.10.2008 19:37 | Free Spaces | Birmingham
> http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/10/411315.html
> 
> This is to inform everyone as well as a callout for support - newly
> occupied community and arts centre in Worcester threatened with
> illegal and possibly violent eviction tomorrow.
> 
> This is a callout for support - if you can get here before midnight
> tonight and want to stay here, and eat with us and have a merry night
> then please do. After midnight, the last door will be fully
> barricaded. Anyone wishing to show support for this illegal eviction
> after this point please turn up at 13-17 Carden Street (off City Walls
> Road), Worcester WR1 around 11.30 tomorrow (WEDNESDAY), bring banners,
> cameras and camera-phones and provide positive public relations,
> because if they are forcing their way into our home IT IS ILLEGAL and
> we will not be scared by this bullshit.
> 
> So what happened...?
> At about 15:30 today a bailiff arrived at the door with a letter on
> behalf of Keather Properties Ltd. THE LETTER IS TRANSCRIBED AT THE
> BOTTOM FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO READ THE BOLLOCKS NOTICE
> 
> We've been on the phone to the Advisory Service for Squatters, and
> they have confirmed that this is a totally illegal eviction. They have
> dealt with matters like this on a day to day basis for 30 years and
> understand the law a lot better than most commercial lawyers. They
> assure us any attempt to evict tomorrow will be criminal and we should
> defend ourselves with numbers and physical barricades. The 'exercising
> their rights' part applies to land, and not buildings. And seeing as a
> tent can apply as a building, an 8000 square ft commercial building
> certainly counts!
> 
> This would be a different story if we only lived here.. but for two
> solid weeks we have been putting all our love and energy into this
> place. We have had dreams become reality in creating a space where
> anyone is welcome and can come and create anything, anytime they want.
> 
> Communal cooking, circuit bending and sewing workshops, music
> practice, painting, and much much more was on the agenda - our gallery
> covered with work from many different local artists, and now we have
> been discovered we are being presented with illegal and violent threats.
> 
> This whole thing is new to us.. but the barricades are being
> strengthened and people are getting ready for a potentially long day
> of defending the Wet Paint building.
> 
> This is a callout for support - if you can get here before midnight
> tonight and want to stay here, and eat with us and have a merry night
> then please do. After midnight, the last door will be fully
> barricaded. Anyone wishing to show support for this illegal eviction
> after this point please turn up at 13-17 Carden Street (off City Walls
> Road), Worcester WR1 around 11.30 tomorrow (WEDNESDAY), bring banners,
> cameras and camera-phones and provide positive public relations
> because if they are forcing their way into our home IT IS A CRIMINAL
> OFFENCE and we will not be scared by this bullshit.
> 
> call us on 07965710354
> 
> Your friends at WET PAINT :)
> 
> .............blah blah blah
> 
> TAKE NOTICE
> 
> KEATHER PROPERTIES LTD (LANDOWNER) are the owners of the land on which
> you are trespassing and require you to leave. You are here without
> consent and are therefore trespassing and have no right to remain. You
> should therefore leave together with all your vehicles and goods by
> 1200 hours on the 22 day of October 2008.
> 
> If you fail to do so, KEATHER PROPERTIES LTD (LANDOWNER) will exercise
> its rights to self-help to remove you from the land and have
> instructed Baliffs from Swift Credit Services Limited to do so on its
> behalf. This right, under Common Law, is set out on Halsburys law of
> England. The police will attend if necessary to ensure that there is
> no breach of the peace.
> 
> Should this enforcement action by necessary , you will be held
> responsible for all costs of your removal and transportation and
> KEATHER PROPERTIES LTD (LANDOWNER) may take proceedings against you
> for the recovery of these costs.
> 
> KEATHER PROPERTIES LTD (LANDOWNER) will be entitled to take such
> action because you failed to respond to a request to leave the land on
> which you are currently trespassing.
> 
> DATED THIS 21 DAY OF OCTOBER 2008
> SIGNED
> LANDOWNER KEATHER PROPERTIES LTD
> ADDRESS C/O ROBERT DAVIES PARTNERSHIP LTD.
> 
> Wet Paint
> - e-mail: wetpaint at ...
>