There are dozens if not hundreds of studios across London, all whom help contribute to make London the worlds capital for music. I've been running Mill Hill Music Complex for the last 34 years, so I know many of the challenges and issues facing studios in London.
There is a widespread belief amongst some studio owners that anything which is bad for the competiobn is by default good for the business they run. In actual fact, nothing could be further from the truth. There are plenty of customers out there for everyone and there is a chronic undersupply of studio space. What this means is that it is hard for bands to actually secure space for regular rehearsals. When bands cannot get together regularly, they often collapse and this takes customers away. The real competition for studios are the other things people do with there lives. Last year we saw studios empty at times during the olympics, football and the other events. It only takes one member of the band to decide they want to watch Arsenal in the Champions League and a booking will be cancelled. Most bands want to rehearse on a Tues, Weds or Thursday between 8-11. There will never be enough capacity in London for these times. If a band rehearses at another time, it is because they can't get a slot then usually.
The signed band, week long lock out market is a completely different beast. In our experience, the bands that use us for lockouts prior to tours are ones we have a good relationship with and are professional enough to get their bookings in early. They use us because they know what they are getting and will only shift if we can't actually book them, which again means that the competition is not an issue.
Whilst some studios are geographically close to each other, most have a decent sized catchment and a ready supply of bands. It is my opinion that studios should work together on common areas of interest. What could these be?
Here are a few:
1. Sharing information about equipment thefts. It suits no one to have customers pilfering equipment.
2. Business rates. If a studio down the road is paying more rates than it needs to, this doesn't benefit anyone.
3. Dodgy practices by suppliers. We also sell musical equipment and have seen some highly dubious activity from a few suppliers recently.
4. Sharing information about licensing issues etc.
5. Exchange information about local venues etc
6. Exchange information about grants for music related projects.
7. Equipment sales.swaps. We all have spare gear that other studios may have a use for and vice versa.
8. Share info on deals which could save other studios money etc on insurance or banking.
9. Collaborate on gear purchases. One supplier is currently selling 6m guitar leads for £1.86 a lead if you buy 120. If you are paying £2.50 a lead, why not get together with a couple of other studios and take 40 each? That would be over £25 on a £100 purchase. Worth having?
Every studio is unique and has its own vibe. The reason some bands like a studio can be completely unfathomable, but if they are comfortable then that is good. I believe that studios should talk to each other either formally or informally. If a customer gets their gear nicked,let all of the other studios know. If you get your gear nicked, let the other studios know.
Sites like http://www.rehearsalstudioslondon.net/ are a great resource for musicians. If customers don't like a studi, in this day and age they are savvy enough to find another studio, if they are happy they will stay put. It is up to all of us to figure out how to market ourselves, but why let other studios flush money down the drain.
Every studio has challenges, rent and rates rising, energy costs soaring. We need to pull together and be a bit smarter in how e deal with the rest of the world. Things won't get any easier.
Thursday, 7 February 2013
Wednesday, 6 February 2013
Saints and Scroungers - Barnet Council to feature in a TV Documentary
The company contacted Barnet, who heard about the case of Ms Oby Barnes, who was prosecuted for claiming benefit whilst failing to declare that she had excess capital, ownership of two properties and was working full time. She was charged with 17 offences of Benefit Fraud under the Social Security Administration 1992 and Theft 1978. Ms Oby Barnes had been overpaid Income Support totalling £24,304.05 and Housing and Council Tax benefit of £50,674.66 a combined total of
£74,978.71 over a six year period. She pleaded guilty to all charges on 29th August 2012 and was sentenced to 18 months in prison on 19th September 2012.
Information about the prosecution will form part of an episode of ‘Saints and Scroungers’ which details both people who assist vulnerable people to apply for benefits to which they are entitled (the ‘Saints’) and the positive difference it makes to their lives; and also spotlights the people who are convicted of benefit fraud (the ‘Scroungers’) and the investigators who have helped bring them to justice. Officers from Barnet Councils fraud team have been interviewed by Flame and information has been provided to facilitate filming.
The Council have also seen a rough cut of the film and deemed it "acceptable" as it portrays the council in a positive light. Given the deluge of bad publicity and negative TV coverage that Barnet Council has received, it is good to note that there is some positive coverage coming out of the Borough. As I keep reminding our friends at Capita, who are responsible for the One Barnet project, Barnet is a media hotspot. Benefit fraud occurs all over the country. Why have they chosen Barnet Council? Whatever happens with the One Barnet project will be under intense media scrutiny. In practise, this means if it goes well, nothing much will happen. If it goes badly, then Capita will suffer enormous reputational damage. Seems a shame that the thanks Council officers are getting for doing a good job is to be outsourced and lose their jobs.
Tuesday, 5 February 2013
Friern Barnet Library handover
I went down for a celebration at Friern Barnet Library today. We had BBC and ITV there. We had balloons and a buffet. The only thing was, I really wasn't sure what we were celebrating. Huge signs were stuck up everywhere saying that the library was reopening today. Oddly enough it was opened yesterday. It has been opened since September 2012 when Occupy moved in. The only thing that changed today was the fact that the the council now has an agreement with the local community, wheras prior to 10:30, the community just did it's stuff anyway. So in effect we were all gathering to celebrate the fact that the council has accepted that it has been rather stupid and wasted a load of money on a pointless court case.
In September I attended a stack of meetings where local groups offered the council exactly what they have now. The council spurned the opportunity and spent a load of my money going to court. This took three hearings, the last of which took two days of court time. Although the council won the right to repossess the library, the court case in effect destroyed their mandate to close the library. A High Court District judge declared that the reopened library was a community asset and urged the council to negotiate a license to allow the library to continue.
The council has been desperately trying to work out how to save face ever since. It was clear to me from the moment that Occupy took over the library what would happen. Now the traagedy of this is that the council is meant to represent the community. It is meant to carry out the will of the people. It is meant to consult us and work with us. We got the right result but it took five months and a court case. Some of the supporters are quite forgiving of the people at the council who have spent five months enacting rotten policy. I am not one of them. The court case cost thousands of pounds and was spent needlessly. This result could have been achieved without it. It is my money, your money all of our money. It could have been spent on improving the lives of the disabled and the vulnerable, but it wasn't. It was spent on advised and unnecessary court case. If you saw a burglar stealing thousands from a sick pensioner, would you stand by? Well if you wouldn't why would you want to slap someones back who allowed the same pensioners services to chopped, because they can't be bothered to enact the will of the people?
So you may ask why I bothered to go at all, as I am such a curmudgeon? I went because Friern Barnet Library is a symbol. It shows that a community can organise and can win arguments. It shows that protesting is worth while. The main reason I went is because I had something to say. I wasn't invited to speak, so I invited myself. Our host, Rabbi Jeffrey Newman very graciously accepted my invitation. And what did I say?
I said that this is just one struggle in Barnet and if we want to win the other struggles, we have to get off our backsides, dig into our wallets and fight. I said that the lesson to learn is that if anyone says protesting and direct action are pointless, show the Friern Barnet Library. If it hadn't been for the Occupy movement and the activists who were prepared to lead the fight, Barnet Council would have sold the library off. If anyone says to you that protesting doesn't work, just reply "Friern Barnet Library".
I am proud that I have played some small part in saving Friern Barnet Library. I am proud to be recognised as one of the Famous Five Barnet Bloggers. We have facilitated change in this leafy suburban paradise. Today is yet another victory for the causes we support, but not because the keys to the library changed hands today. It is a victory because the community packed out the library and they have shown that they cannot be ignored. That is the real victory today
There is also a little message for One Barnet winners Capita -check out this story on the BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21340366
And these on ITV
http://www.itv.com/news/london/story/2013-02-05/barnet-library-reopens/
As I've repeatedly said, Barnet is a media hotspot and a place with more media than anywhere else in the country. Barnet stories cannot be ignored. Whatever Capita do in Barnet will be dissected under the microscope. If it goes wrong, this will tarnish the reputation and damage the share price of Capita. I hope their shareholders appreciate this. I doubt a library story would make both the BBC and ITV news anywhere else in London. Whilst I don't believe that common sense can save Barnet from this outsourcing madness, maybe, just maybe the self interest of the shareholders of Capita might. I have been giving advice recently to a shareholder advice service on the likely effects of the judicial review and the involvement with Barnet on Capita share price, explaining how the project may damage the company and negatively impact the share price. Of course, the project may go swimmingly and it may all be fine and dandy, but the shareholders should be aware of the risk. Now the Friern Barnet Library battle has been won, many activists are on a high and are looking for a new target. I've been told that Capita are likely to be seeing a lot more attention in the coming weeks.
In September I attended a stack of meetings where local groups offered the council exactly what they have now. The council spurned the opportunity and spent a load of my money going to court. This took three hearings, the last of which took two days of court time. Although the council won the right to repossess the library, the court case in effect destroyed their mandate to close the library. A High Court District judge declared that the reopened library was a community asset and urged the council to negotiate a license to allow the library to continue.
The council has been desperately trying to work out how to save face ever since. It was clear to me from the moment that Occupy took over the library what would happen. Now the traagedy of this is that the council is meant to represent the community. It is meant to carry out the will of the people. It is meant to consult us and work with us. We got the right result but it took five months and a court case. Some of the supporters are quite forgiving of the people at the council who have spent five months enacting rotten policy. I am not one of them. The court case cost thousands of pounds and was spent needlessly. This result could have been achieved without it. It is my money, your money all of our money. It could have been spent on improving the lives of the disabled and the vulnerable, but it wasn't. It was spent on advised and unnecessary court case. If you saw a burglar stealing thousands from a sick pensioner, would you stand by? Well if you wouldn't why would you want to slap someones back who allowed the same pensioners services to chopped, because they can't be bothered to enact the will of the people?
So you may ask why I bothered to go at all, as I am such a curmudgeon? I went because Friern Barnet Library is a symbol. It shows that a community can organise and can win arguments. It shows that protesting is worth while. The main reason I went is because I had something to say. I wasn't invited to speak, so I invited myself. Our host, Rabbi Jeffrey Newman very graciously accepted my invitation. And what did I say?
I said that this is just one struggle in Barnet and if we want to win the other struggles, we have to get off our backsides, dig into our wallets and fight. I said that the lesson to learn is that if anyone says protesting and direct action are pointless, show the Friern Barnet Library. If it hadn't been for the Occupy movement and the activists who were prepared to lead the fight, Barnet Council would have sold the library off. If anyone says to you that protesting doesn't work, just reply "Friern Barnet Library".
I am proud that I have played some small part in saving Friern Barnet Library. I am proud to be recognised as one of the Famous Five Barnet Bloggers. We have facilitated change in this leafy suburban paradise. Today is yet another victory for the causes we support, but not because the keys to the library changed hands today. It is a victory because the community packed out the library and they have shown that they cannot be ignored. That is the real victory today
There is also a little message for One Barnet winners Capita -check out this story on the BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21340366
And these on ITV
http://www.itv.com/news/london/story/2013-02-05/barnet-library-reopens/
As I've repeatedly said, Barnet is a media hotspot and a place with more media than anywhere else in the country. Barnet stories cannot be ignored. Whatever Capita do in Barnet will be dissected under the microscope. If it goes wrong, this will tarnish the reputation and damage the share price of Capita. I hope their shareholders appreciate this. I doubt a library story would make both the BBC and ITV news anywhere else in London. Whilst I don't believe that common sense can save Barnet from this outsourcing madness, maybe, just maybe the self interest of the shareholders of Capita might. I have been giving advice recently to a shareholder advice service on the likely effects of the judicial review and the involvement with Barnet on Capita share price, explaining how the project may damage the company and negatively impact the share price. Of course, the project may go swimmingly and it may all be fine and dandy, but the shareholders should be aware of the risk. Now the Friern Barnet Library battle has been won, many activists are on a high and are looking for a new target. I've been told that Capita are likely to be seeing a lot more attention in the coming weeks.
Barnet is flogging off the green belt !
This advert appeared in the Hendon Times this week
This site is in Mill Hill. It is in a protected area of green belt and zoned only for agricultural use. The Barnet Eye has no idea what the eventual use for it will be. What I do know is this. If the Council sell it for around £45,000 then whoever buys it is either planning to use it for agricultural use or they are spending £45,000 on a big punt. If however it sells for £450,000 it means that someone at Barnet Council has told someone that they are likely to be able to eventually put a residential development on the site. People do not take punts with £450,000 on the off chance that there will be a relaxation of planning regs.
I have no idea what the piece of land will sell for. I know what the site is worth for agricultural land and what it is worth if it is sold on a nod and a wink for something else. I am disturbed that this advert does not mention the green belt and the status of the land. It looks to me as if the council are inviting people to take a punt. What alarms me is that if a developer takes this site and we have a protracted planning case, then the site will go to rack and ruin and become a dump. This will be bad for everyone in Mill Hill. It is next to the Mill Hill Village playing fields where many local children take part in sporting activities. It would be a scandal if such a site became a danger to the public. What the advert doesn't tell the prospective buyers is that the site has been neglected for years, is in bad condition,asbestos on site,weed ridden, prone to flooding with water and sewage, off-grid for water/gas/electric. It also has a population of protected bats on the site. That is only what the guy at the sports club pointed out to me. God knows what else is lurking there
This site is in Mill Hill. It is in a protected area of green belt and zoned only for agricultural use. The Barnet Eye has no idea what the eventual use for it will be. What I do know is this. If the Council sell it for around £45,000 then whoever buys it is either planning to use it for agricultural use or they are spending £45,000 on a big punt. If however it sells for £450,000 it means that someone at Barnet Council has told someone that they are likely to be able to eventually put a residential development on the site. People do not take punts with £450,000 on the off chance that there will be a relaxation of planning regs.
I have no idea what the piece of land will sell for. I know what the site is worth for agricultural land and what it is worth if it is sold on a nod and a wink for something else. I am disturbed that this advert does not mention the green belt and the status of the land. It looks to me as if the council are inviting people to take a punt. What alarms me is that if a developer takes this site and we have a protracted planning case, then the site will go to rack and ruin and become a dump. This will be bad for everyone in Mill Hill. It is next to the Mill Hill Village playing fields where many local children take part in sporting activities. It would be a scandal if such a site became a danger to the public. What the advert doesn't tell the prospective buyers is that the site has been neglected for years, is in bad condition,asbestos on site,weed ridden, prone to flooding with water and sewage, off-grid for water/gas/electric. It also has a population of protected bats on the site. That is only what the guy at the sports club pointed out to me. God knows what else is lurking there
More details here -
Lets hope that the council do the right thing and make it clear that the Green Belt will be vigorously enforced. I love the green space in Mill Hill. I suggest that if you do, you inform your local councillor that inviting such auctions are not helpful. It is instructive that the department dealing with the green belt is the "commercial property" arm of Barnet Council. Is this part of ONE BARNET or is what we've all suspected true, One Barnet is all about selling off assets on the cheap for people with no association with Barnet to make a fortune. Alll will become clear on the 8th March. We will be watching this with special interest.
Christians should tell the truth about marriage
Firstly, let me state that I write this as a Christian and a practicing Roman Catholic. I believe that above all this compells me to tell the truth and deal with issues of morality with honesty and dignity.
I have been listening to the radio this morning and the subject of gay marriage is being discussed. The presenters have been reading message after message from people claiming that the purpose of marriage is solely to allow procreation of the species. This is not true from a biblical sense. Let me explain the reasons.
1. There is not and has never been a ban on marriage of people above childbearing age.
2. There is not and has never been a ban on marriage for people who are incapable of having children.
Whatever you may or may not think of marriage, its purpose is not to make people have children. When you marry in a Christian service, you are not asked to have children. Many people do, but this is not required to validate a marriage. In some cases quite the opposite is true. I remember one case where there was a well loved local policeman who was dying of cancer. He had a live in partner, who was not Catholic. He wanted to marry her to ensure she got her entitlements as a widow. The local parish priest was a sensible and pragmatic man. He performed the ceremony and assisted the family in sorting out the civil side. The policeman died the next day, but the widow received her entitlement. Everyone I knew thought it was the right thing to do and there was no criticism of the priest for bending the rules, quite the contrary. It was an act of human compassion.
In fact the church rules on marriage are in some ways designed to prevent procreation. Whilst women pass their childbearing years in their 40's, men can make babies until they die. The main reason for the church banning divorce was to stop men dumping their wives for younger women and starting new families. The purpose of marriage is to ensure social cohesion and prevent women from being abandoned, in the days when they were reliant on men for their livilihood. It is even stated in the bible that if your brother dies, you should marry his wife, so that she is looked after. The implication is not that you should make babies, it is that you should make sure she is financially secure.
I have no doubt that many people have genuine issues with the concept of gay marriage. In a free society, everyone has a right to express their views and they are quite right to point out that this measure was not contained in any party manifesto. I wish that it had and I wish that candidates had been compelled to state their intention to support the measure. Then there could be no doubt and no arguments as to the legitimacy of the policy. It is up to both sides to make their case and to state the relevant facts as they see it. Whatever the rights and wrongs, people should be honest and the truth is that marriage is about protecting families financial rights and ensuring that people are treated fairly. It is not about creating unions to have babies, people are quite good at that without marriage. I am a firm believer in anything which strengthens society and makes people face up to their responsibilities. If same sex marriage becomes legal tonight, it will in no way change my attitude towards my wife or the strength of our union. It will not make a single person who is not gay suddenly decide to marry someone of the same sex. I suspect that no one who is in a loving marriage will feel in any way threatened. Will it improve the lot of the members of our society who are gay? I haven't got a clue if it will or it won't, only time will tell. What I do know is that in a free and tolerant society, I don't think I should have the right to deny people rights, simply because the thought of what they do in the bedroom makes me think "yuk". It is time for us to grow up as a society and address issues of inequality and injustice. I belong to the church and take part in activities it runs such as feeding the homeless because I believe this does some good. I am really struggling with the fact that such good work is being undermined and we are being made to look like extremists by people who haven't even bothered to read the book properly.
I have been listening to the radio this morning and the subject of gay marriage is being discussed. The presenters have been reading message after message from people claiming that the purpose of marriage is solely to allow procreation of the species. This is not true from a biblical sense. Let me explain the reasons.
1. There is not and has never been a ban on marriage of people above childbearing age.
2. There is not and has never been a ban on marriage for people who are incapable of having children.
Whatever you may or may not think of marriage, its purpose is not to make people have children. When you marry in a Christian service, you are not asked to have children. Many people do, but this is not required to validate a marriage. In some cases quite the opposite is true. I remember one case where there was a well loved local policeman who was dying of cancer. He had a live in partner, who was not Catholic. He wanted to marry her to ensure she got her entitlements as a widow. The local parish priest was a sensible and pragmatic man. He performed the ceremony and assisted the family in sorting out the civil side. The policeman died the next day, but the widow received her entitlement. Everyone I knew thought it was the right thing to do and there was no criticism of the priest for bending the rules, quite the contrary. It was an act of human compassion.
In fact the church rules on marriage are in some ways designed to prevent procreation. Whilst women pass their childbearing years in their 40's, men can make babies until they die. The main reason for the church banning divorce was to stop men dumping their wives for younger women and starting new families. The purpose of marriage is to ensure social cohesion and prevent women from being abandoned, in the days when they were reliant on men for their livilihood. It is even stated in the bible that if your brother dies, you should marry his wife, so that she is looked after. The implication is not that you should make babies, it is that you should make sure she is financially secure.
I have no doubt that many people have genuine issues with the concept of gay marriage. In a free society, everyone has a right to express their views and they are quite right to point out that this measure was not contained in any party manifesto. I wish that it had and I wish that candidates had been compelled to state their intention to support the measure. Then there could be no doubt and no arguments as to the legitimacy of the policy. It is up to both sides to make their case and to state the relevant facts as they see it. Whatever the rights and wrongs, people should be honest and the truth is that marriage is about protecting families financial rights and ensuring that people are treated fairly. It is not about creating unions to have babies, people are quite good at that without marriage. I am a firm believer in anything which strengthens society and makes people face up to their responsibilities. If same sex marriage becomes legal tonight, it will in no way change my attitude towards my wife or the strength of our union. It will not make a single person who is not gay suddenly decide to marry someone of the same sex. I suspect that no one who is in a loving marriage will feel in any way threatened. Will it improve the lot of the members of our society who are gay? I haven't got a clue if it will or it won't, only time will tell. What I do know is that in a free and tolerant society, I don't think I should have the right to deny people rights, simply because the thought of what they do in the bedroom makes me think "yuk". It is time for us to grow up as a society and address issues of inequality and injustice. I belong to the church and take part in activities it runs such as feeding the homeless because I believe this does some good. I am really struggling with the fact that such good work is being undermined and we are being made to look like extremists by people who haven't even bothered to read the book properly.
Monday, 4 February 2013
Friern Barnet Library occupation ends tomorrow, a new chapter opens
Tomorrow, the occupiers of Friern Barnet Library hand over the building to the new management. Here is a press release.
On Tuesday 5th February, at midday, exactly five months since the occupation began, the community will take possession of the Friern Barnet Library. The local community – represented by the trustees of the library - are on the verge of agreeing a two-year lease with Barnet Council (LBB) to run the library with some funding.
At the ceremony, squatters and supporters of the Occupy movement, who have been keeping the building open and enabling the local community to run a book lending service and community centre in the building, will hand it over to the trustees of the newly formed Friern Barnet Community Library (FBCL). They have now received a licence from LBB to be in the library for two weeks with the promise of renewal of the licence if necessary to negotiate a lease and other matters (eg, who pays the utilities, insurance, and ongoing future repairs). LBB has shown a willingness to amend the licence to their satisfaction.
“This is a triumph for the local community,” said, one of the trustees of the new community library. “Our library was closed in April. And we were told the building would be ‘marketed’. Now we have our library back, with council financial support. We achieved this through constant campaigning, lobbying, and building a broad alliance including squatters, activists, supporters of the Occupy movement, local residents and library campaign groups.
Mike Gee, local activist said, “I do not fully understand this volte-face [by the council] but on the face of it, it’s wonderful. However, we must not forget, this protest is not just about FBL, one library, it is also about the creeping move to a totalitarian state, the irrational, unjust and draconian cuts to vital public services and job losses that are undermining the very way we live, think and breathe. The anecdote is to wake up, open our minds, eyes and hearts and pledge continuing involvement and support to the Occupy Movement. Solidarity!”
Roger Tichborne, Local Blogger, Barnet Eye, said, “We should all remember that the council is our council. We are all part owners and stakeholders. What has happened in Friern is a massive victory because it has shown the whole community opposes these anti social policies and unethical policies. It is up to each and every one of us to do everything in our power to resist the forces of ignorance and greed. We haven't got what we want, but we've got a community that stands together.”
Housing and Squatting activist, Phoenix, stated: “This campaign definitely shows the success of direct action and squatting. This is a seed of change. The whole country will soon be facing 80% of the rest of the cuts. They can take some inspiration from this direct action. We have collectively helped to save this library from being sold off for development and bulldozed. We would like to see more arrangements between owners of the 1.4 million empty buildings in the UK and squatter/ homeless and community groups, rather than the criminalisation being carried out by this government under the new law. A law we feel strongly is unjust, undemocratic and arbitry."
“We want to make it clear that, the activists support the National Libraries Campaign and that putting in place a paid librarian is a priority. I believe consensus has been reached with the community on this point. As it stands, the funding offered by the council does not cover a full time librarian, but as the two year lease is negotiated and plans go forward, this will be kept at the front of the conversation. The activists would like to say that we are strongly opposed to austerity and all the cuts, especially to the library service. We are also heavily opposed to criminalising the homeless/squatters. The extreme right of the conservative party is seeking to make squatting non-residential building also illegal. This, if it was successful, would affect all our rights to protest by occupying/squatting space, and would make successful community squat occupations such as the library campaign ILLEGAL, thus further removing our rights to shelter and protest.”
 |
| The community responds to the announcement that the library is saved |
Saved !!! Friern Barnet Community Library
Friern Barnet Library Saved – handover ceremony on Tuesday 12 Noon
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY:
Handover of keys from the squatters to the licencees and red ribbon reopening
12.00 Midday Tuesday 5 February 2013
CONTACTS: Phoenix 07769 791387
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY:
Handover of keys from the squatters to the licencees and red ribbon reopening
12.00 Midday Tuesday 5 February 2013
CONTACTS: Phoenix 07769 791387
On Tuesday 5th February, at midday, exactly five months since the occupation began, the community will take possession of the Friern Barnet Library. The local community – represented by the trustees of the library - are on the verge of agreeing a two-year lease with Barnet Council (LBB) to run the library with some funding.
At the ceremony, squatters and supporters of the Occupy movement, who have been keeping the building open and enabling the local community to run a book lending service and community centre in the building, will hand it over to the trustees of the newly formed Friern Barnet Community Library (FBCL). They have now received a licence from LBB to be in the library for two weeks with the promise of renewal of the licence if necessary to negotiate a lease and other matters (eg, who pays the utilities, insurance, and ongoing future repairs). LBB has shown a willingness to amend the licence to their satisfaction.
“This is a triumph for the local community,” said, one of the trustees of the new community library. “Our library was closed in April. And we were told the building would be ‘marketed’. Now we have our library back, with council financial support. We achieved this through constant campaigning, lobbying, and building a broad alliance including squatters, activists, supporters of the Occupy movement, local residents and library campaign groups.
Mike Gee, local activist said, “I do not fully understand this volte-face [by the council] but on the face of it, it’s wonderful. However, we must not forget, this protest is not just about FBL, one library, it is also about the creeping move to a totalitarian state, the irrational, unjust and draconian cuts to vital public services and job losses that are undermining the very way we live, think and breathe. The anecdote is to wake up, open our minds, eyes and hearts and pledge continuing involvement and support to the Occupy Movement. Solidarity!”
Roger Tichborne, Local Blogger, Barnet Eye, said, “We should all remember that the council is our council. We are all part owners and stakeholders. What has happened in Friern is a massive victory because it has shown the whole community opposes these anti social policies and unethical policies. It is up to each and every one of us to do everything in our power to resist the forces of ignorance and greed. We haven't got what we want, but we've got a community that stands together.”
Housing and Squatting activist, Phoenix, stated: “This campaign definitely shows the success of direct action and squatting. This is a seed of change. The whole country will soon be facing 80% of the rest of the cuts. They can take some inspiration from this direct action. We have collectively helped to save this library from being sold off for development and bulldozed. We would like to see more arrangements between owners of the 1.4 million empty buildings in the UK and squatter/ homeless and community groups, rather than the criminalisation being carried out by this government under the new law. A law we feel strongly is unjust, undemocratic and arbitry."
“We want to make it clear that, the activists support the National Libraries Campaign and that putting in place a paid librarian is a priority. I believe consensus has been reached with the community on this point. As it stands, the funding offered by the council does not cover a full time librarian, but as the two year lease is negotiated and plans go forward, this will be kept at the front of the conversation. The activists would like to say that we are strongly opposed to austerity and all the cuts, especially to the library service. We are also heavily opposed to criminalising the homeless/squatters. The extreme right of the conservative party is seeking to make squatting non-residential building also illegal. This, if it was successful, would affect all our rights to protest by occupying/squatting space, and would make successful community squat occupations such as the library campaign ILLEGAL, thus further removing our rights to shelter and protest.”
Come and celebrate with us, as the keys are officially handed over, from Occupy to the new Friern Barnet Community Library
At Friern Barnet Library building , Friern Barnet Road, N11 3DR
Tuesday 5th February 2013
12 midday
Come and join us afterwards too, for party nibbles and soft drinks!
Party and music afterwards all day and evening as thanks, appreciation and support to Occupy for securing the building and giving the community back their fantastic library space
IF YOU CAN HELP WITH FOOD/SOFT DRINKS/DECORATIONS/GENERAL
PLEASE CONTACT Anne Storey avstorey@virginmedia.com
At Friern Barnet Library building , Friern Barnet Road, N11 3DR
Tuesday 5th February 2013
12 midday
Come and join us afterwards too, for party nibbles and soft drinks!
Party and music afterwards all day and evening as thanks, appreciation and support to Occupy for securing the building and giving the community back their fantastic library space
IF YOU CAN HELP WITH FOOD/SOFT DRINKS/DECORATIONS/GENERAL
PLEASE CONTACT Anne Storey avstorey@virginmedia.com
Sunday, 3 February 2013
Sunday Secrets - Five Guilty Pleasures
As it's Sunday, we usually post something a little different on the blog. Today it's five guilty pleasures. As a punk rock and roller, people always assume all I listen to is punk and metal at 250 db. I do have a few guilty pleasures. Songs which the wearing of the T-Shirt at work may raise a couple of eybrows ;^)
What makes a guilty pleasure? It's a song which you really like, but you'd not be seen dead admitting to liking in front of your mates at the pub.
#1 - Duran Duran - Girls on Film
A bit of a story behind this. In 1981, when I left school, I went to live in Stockholm. My girlfriend was into Duran Duran. They were doing a tour and playing in Stockholm. They were known, but were not a big band. We went to see them at the Underground. I wasn't a fan. I was into punk. I got talking to one of the roadies at the bar and we were invited backstage. The band had been travelling around Europe and were a bit bored, having not talked about football or beer to anyone for a month or two. I got chatting to Simon LeBon. It turned out he'd lived in Hendon. We had a good laugh, he is a really nice bloke and we got guest listed for the show the next night at the Roxy. The band were brilliant and I've been a fan ever since. Somewhere I've got a signed tour program. The girls who came with me were well impressed !
#2 - Erasure - Sometimes
I remember seeing this on Top of the Pops. I was immediately struck by what a great song it is. I suggested that we did a rocked up version of it to the band and endured an evening of severe pisstaking. One day I will do it though.
#3 - Soft Cell - Torch
I'm a big fan of Soft Cell, they do great songs and are unique. I think this song is the best of the bunch.
#4 - The Jackson Five - Rockin Robin
I was nine when this came out. I thought it was great that a kid was singing in a proper band. It wasn't a crass novelty act, it was a proper band. The Jackson Five were a band I felt a great affection for and still do. Seeing Michael Jackson before the plastic surgeons ripped him apart is and it all went wrong is tinged with sadness, but I never ever hear this song without smiling.
#5 - Nancy Sinatra - These boots were made for walking
Seriously, how could anyone not love this?
Have a great weekend
What makes a guilty pleasure? It's a song which you really like, but you'd not be seen dead admitting to liking in front of your mates at the pub.
#1 - Duran Duran - Girls on Film
A bit of a story behind this. In 1981, when I left school, I went to live in Stockholm. My girlfriend was into Duran Duran. They were doing a tour and playing in Stockholm. They were known, but were not a big band. We went to see them at the Underground. I wasn't a fan. I was into punk. I got talking to one of the roadies at the bar and we were invited backstage. The band had been travelling around Europe and were a bit bored, having not talked about football or beer to anyone for a month or two. I got chatting to Simon LeBon. It turned out he'd lived in Hendon. We had a good laugh, he is a really nice bloke and we got guest listed for the show the next night at the Roxy. The band were brilliant and I've been a fan ever since. Somewhere I've got a signed tour program. The girls who came with me were well impressed !
#2 - Erasure - Sometimes
I remember seeing this on Top of the Pops. I was immediately struck by what a great song it is. I suggested that we did a rocked up version of it to the band and endured an evening of severe pisstaking. One day I will do it though.
#3 - Soft Cell - Torch
I'm a big fan of Soft Cell, they do great songs and are unique. I think this song is the best of the bunch.
#4 - The Jackson Five - Rockin Robin
I was nine when this came out. I thought it was great that a kid was singing in a proper band. It wasn't a crass novelty act, it was a proper band. The Jackson Five were a band I felt a great affection for and still do. Seeing Michael Jackson before the plastic surgeons ripped him apart is and it all went wrong is tinged with sadness, but I never ever hear this song without smiling.
#5 - Nancy Sinatra - These boots were made for walking
Seriously, how could anyone not love this?
Have a great weekend
Saturday, 2 February 2013
The Saturday List #33 - The Rock and Roll History of Barnet
What is the London Borough of Barnet to most people? A leafy suburb that slumbers away? Well it has a proud history of involvement with the Rock and Roll scene. Yesterday - Friday 1st February, Modestep set out on a world tour from Mill Hill Music Complex. Tonught they play the first gig in Newcastle. Toscelebrate and wish them well on their way, we've put together a short list of things which have put the London Borough of Barnet on the Rock and Roll map.
Here is a list of ten events that put the LBB on the Rock and Roll map !
1. 1958 - Teddy boys run riot at Hendon Classic Cinema and are confronted by 50 riot police at screening of Blackboard Jungle - The news makes the Sunday Times !
2. 1962 - Telstar by the Tornados reaches No 1 in the UK & US charts (first Uk single to top UK charts) - Barnet residents Ray Randall and Stuart Taylor joined the band in 1963.
3. 1966 - Jimi Hendrix Plays the Golders Green refectory
4. 1977 - The Stranglers play the Torrington in Finchley and their fans become known as the Finchley Boys.
5. 1977 - Marc Bolan is buried in Golders Green
6. 1979 - Mill Hill Music Complex opens, second customers are UK Rockabilly band The Polecats, who have a chart hit with a cover of John, I'm only dancing
7. 1983 - Bully Fury is buried in Mill Hill
8. 2003 - Amy Winehouse aoppears on Jools Holland for the first time. Amy is from the Borough of Barnet and regulalry rehearsed at Mill Hill Music Complex
9. 2005 Kate Nash Performs at Mill Hill Squash Club, she started her career reheasring atMill Hill Music Complex.
10. 2013 - Modestep set off on their world tour from Mill Hill Music Complex.
Here is a list of some of the other bands and artists who have rehearsed at Mill Hill Music Complex (The Foundations, The Damned, Eddie Floyd, The Black Kids, Morrissey, David Soul, Lee Thompson (Madness), Huw Lloyd-Langton (Hawkwind), Imelda May, Matchbox)
 |
| Modestep embark on their world tour from Mill Hill Music Complex |
Here is a list of ten events that put the LBB on the Rock and Roll map !
1. 1958 - Teddy boys run riot at Hendon Classic Cinema and are confronted by 50 riot police at screening of Blackboard Jungle - The news makes the Sunday Times !
2. 1962 - Telstar by the Tornados reaches No 1 in the UK & US charts (first Uk single to top UK charts) - Barnet residents Ray Randall and Stuart Taylor joined the band in 1963.
3. 1966 - Jimi Hendrix Plays the Golders Green refectory
4. 1977 - The Stranglers play the Torrington in Finchley and their fans become known as the Finchley Boys.
5. 1977 - Marc Bolan is buried in Golders Green
6. 1979 - Mill Hill Music Complex opens, second customers are UK Rockabilly band The Polecats, who have a chart hit with a cover of John, I'm only dancing
7. 1983 - Bully Fury is buried in Mill Hill
8. 2003 - Amy Winehouse aoppears on Jools Holland for the first time. Amy is from the Borough of Barnet and regulalry rehearsed at Mill Hill Music Complex
9. 2005 Kate Nash Performs at Mill Hill Squash Club, she started her career reheasring atMill Hill Music Complex.
10. 2013 - Modestep set off on their world tour from Mill Hill Music Complex.
Here is a list of some of the other bands and artists who have rehearsed at Mill Hill Music Complex (The Foundations, The Damned, Eddie Floyd, The Black Kids, Morrissey, David Soul, Lee Thompson (Madness), Huw Lloyd-Langton (Hawkwind), Imelda May, Matchbox)
Friday, 1 February 2013
Proof that protesting works - Friern Barnet Community Library Saved
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2013 11:45 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: SAVED!!! Friern Barnet Community Library
The
trustees of FBCL have now received an amended licence from LBB to allow them to
be in the library legally. They will have 2 weeks, with promise of renewal of
licence if necessary, to negotiate a lease and other matters. LBB has shown a
willingness to amend the licence to their satisfaction.
There was a meeting tonight at 7 pm where it was agreed that Occupy will hand over the keys to the building Tuesday 5th February 12 midday - EVERYONE WELCOME
The local residents thanked Occupy for a fantastic occupation.
Occupy encouraged Friern Barnet Community Library to continue to fight for a paid librarian and said this victory was not just about a local library but about the national campaign to save libraries everywhere.
There was a meeting tonight at 7 pm where it was agreed that Occupy will hand over the keys to the building Tuesday 5th February 12 midday - EVERYONE WELCOME
The local residents thanked Occupy for a fantastic occupation.
Occupy encouraged Friern Barnet Community Library to continue to fight for a paid librarian and said this victory was not just about a local library but about the national campaign to save libraries everywhere.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yesterday I received the above email. This blog has been associated with the campaign to save Barnets libraries from the moment Robert Rams announced that he was having a strategic library review and that "people get books online at Tescos or read them at Starbucks". We organised the Save Barnets Libraries petition and got 7,000 signatures. We initiated the Friern Barnet Peoples Library protest, staging pop up libraries outside the closed building. We were the first media on site when the Occupy movement took over the library. When we made Barnet - The Billion Pound Gamble, we featured the library protest promenantly.
We are proud to be associated with the Library protest and we are proud to have contributed in some small way to the victory. Once the Council made it clear that they had changed their mind about closure and sale, we kept quiet and allowed the respective teams to negotiate in good faith and with good will. We take no pleasure in some of the things we've said about the behaviour of people associated with the council, but acknoweldge that in recent weeks things have changed.
There are many lessons to be learned from the campaign and many fights to be fought in Barnet. The one thing we should all learn from the Library campaign is that if you fight a well run campaign with imagination and vigour, you can make things better.
This is a proud and historic moment for Barnet and a proud day for the Barnet Eye. Next time anyone says "What's the point protesting" you know what to say "Look at Friern Barnet Community Library".
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