The Digitalisation of Stratford

Russell Brand has visited the Carpenter estate in Stratford in an attempt to highlight the issue of social-housing, Brand featured the Focus E15 campaign on his youtube vlog “The Trews”. Brand is an extremely well-connected activist who has the power, through social networking and his ability to be well-connected within the network of the Media by social networks such as Twitter and Youtube.

In an article by The Guardian, Stratford is set to become “a world-leading creative and digital cluster and London’s home for making.” (The Guardian). It is ironic that they’ve used the words “London’s home for making” when the reality is, the “real” people who make up London are becoming pushed out and disregarded in the process of transforming London creatively as their areas are becoming gentrified by culture-less Multinational organisations and overseas investors.

Multinational Organisations and commercial spaces such as Westfield shopping centre are  becoming the hub for digital technology, controlling the network with advertisements and business ventures that benefit the Capital and not the Community who contribute to its success . The network is becoming biased through capitalism  as it only claims to represent “London” however it is constructed through gentrified discourses. The reality is that Large external businesses and overseas investment are moving into boroughs of London, re-scaping the landscape and moulding it into its own version of London. Thus thinking about an area such as Stratford as a virtual space online, its network shifts from a “horizontal” network where power relations do not originate from a single point into a hierarchal “centralised” structure which is manipulated and controlled by Capitalism to frame its ideologies and representation of a space physically and metaphorically.

Bibliography

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/e15-occupation-we-shall-not-be-moved-say-stratford-single-parents-fighting-eviction-after-occupying-empty-homes-9761186.html

the Guardian,. 'Olympic Afterlife: The Real Legacy Of The London Olympics For Stratford'. N.p., 2014. Web. 26 Mar. 2015.

http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1156957.ece/alternates/s615/Crowds%20leave%20the%20Olympic%20Stadium%20at%20the%20Olympic%20Park%20in%20Stratford,%20east%20London,%20following%20the%20dress%20rehearsal%20for%20the%20Opening%20Ceremony%20for%20the%20London%202012%20Olympic%20Games

- Conor Griffin 

Russell Brand supports Focus E15 single mums' campaign to battle eviction from social housing in east London

Here is a link to an article written by The Independent newspaper about Celebrity-turned-activist Russell Brand and his support for the FOCUS E15 campaign and helping protest the rights for the Single mothers and their children to live in the abandoned homes on the Carpenters estate in Stratford. 

Although the mother's lost their battle with the Council and were forced to leave their "homes" on the Carpenters estate, Russell Brand and the protestors ensured they would carry on campaigning “for decent housing for all” (The Independent). 

Russell Brand stated at the protest, “I disagree with people being cleared off Carpenters Estate so they can gentrify the area. What’s happening here is an indication of a much broader story and that’s what I’m interested in" (The Independent). This form of gentrification seems almost a violation of human rights, it doesn't get any simpler than housing single mothers and children at any cost to ensure they are kept off the streets and that mother and child are both safe! 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/russell-brand-pledges-support-to-focus-e15-campaign-as-mums-battle-to-fight-eviction-from-social-housing-in-east-london-9771910.html

- Conor Griffin 

SOCIAL HOUSING NOT SOCIAL CLEANSING

The “Focus E15” campaign looks at a group of homeless single mothers and their children in Stratford who were forced onto the streets involuntarily when the hostel they were living at was closed as its funding had been cut. The mother’s were told by the Council that it was unlikely social housing would be found in London (as we are experiencing a shortage) but could be rehoused as far as Hastings, Manchester and Birmingham, leaving them alienated from their own communities. The mother’s took initiative by forcing their way into the abandoned homes at the Carpenters estate which was closed down for redevelopment.  

Taken from an article written by The Independent, the single mothers, “ended up having to force their way into abandoned homes” (The Independent) onto the Carpenters estate in a desperate attempt to secure shelter in London and not be moved hundreds of miles away from their families and friends who are these women’s support systems. According to The Independent, this protest “Is symbolic of the way many others are being treated. Their tale is one that reflects the fortunes of  low-income households across the UK, and the dismantling of the social housing that used to keep them in their communities.” (The Independent). The realisation that the same type of issue is happening all around the UK everyday is alarming, as the social housing becomes less and less due to Government spending cuts and the changes to the law with “affordable rents” that saw social housing rent prices soar from 50% of the market rates to up to an 80%. This is an example of how our country is attempting to gentrify the whole UK by introducing changes to the law which makes it difficult for low-income families to afford rent prices, especially if tenants live in an area that becomes fashionable or sought-after place to live, such as Stratford after the Olympics. It is unfair that communities who have lived in an area such as Stratford their entire lives have to be moved on to lower income areas as they cannot afford the housing prices with “Councils in high-rent areas say they have no option but to move their tenants to areas of lower rent, plucking families out of their communities.” (The Independent). This statement is difficult to comprehend with one of the Councillors of Newham Council responding to the FOCUS E15 group moving into the abandoned homes stated “It is disappointing to see empty homes in the Carpenters Estate being occupied by agitators and hangers on.” It is appalling that these are single mothers with CHILDREN that are being referred to as “hangers on” as they do not wish to leave their area and move hundreds of miles away. One of the mothers work for the NHS and said it would be difficult for her to maintain her 45 hours work shift if her mum wasn’t available to look after her child as she cannot afford childcare. These are women who are trying to contribute to our economy and our Government are unable to accommodate special cases and individuals who are crying out for help, as their needs no longer fit with the agenda of a gentrified Stratford with no “hangers on”. We need to stop White-washing our communities under capitalism and investment and focus on the real issues of our communities as that’s where the real change lies, with our future NOT the £9 billion pound investment Stratford received.

The shift in Power-geometry creates an understanding to flows and movement of social groups as power is shifted geographically from “The City” or the Capital, into East London as it becomes a new area seen to be “up-and-coming”. Power is produced through investment and redevelopments of areas such as Stratford by large corporations and Government spending enabling them the control over the area as Power is shifted through time-space compression. Capitalism in relation to “The City” expands through time-space compression as ‘control’ over an area becomes easier through technologies and easier transport links, inevitably expanding the power of “the City” by using up more space geographically, and pushing out social groups and individuals by disenfranchising their power of living in their area.

The idea of Power-geometry can be symbolised by the blockbuster movies “The Hunger Games” as “The Capital” being central to all the power of the surrounding districts, it becomes more and more powerful as it takes more space geographically, in the movie, the Capital also has the power to “wipe out” one of the districts as they are not conforming to the rules governed by the Capital. This is currently happening in Stratford as it is being consumed by Capitalism and creating revenue, its alienating its communities and removing their power by forcing  them out of their homes and cutting their social housing funding. The question existing is what will happen to Stratford when another Area of London becomes gentrified and “popular”, what will be left of the community and businesses then when the area no longer creates a need for The City.

Bibliography

http://img.rt.com/files/news/2e/62/40/00/mothers-occupy-london-tower2.si.jpg

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/e15-occupation-we-shall-not-be-moved-say-stratford-single-parents-fighting-eviction-after-occupying-empty-homes-9761186.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/russell-brand-pledges-support-to-focus-e15-campaign-as-mums-battle-to-fight-eviction-from-social-housing-in-east-london-9771910.html

- Conor Griffin 

Losing Stratford

        As Stratford undergoes massive changes, one thing is clear : soon enough the working class will not be able to afford living in Stratford. 

Although Stratford has always been an area populated with lower class citizens, just like the entire east part of London, lately, new developments like Westfield, The Olympic Park, and the new neighbourhoods in Chobham Manor, are changing Stratford from a once inexpensive and unattractive area into a fancy upscale residence for upper-class people.

Even though this might be seen as a much needed change in East London, the reality is that underneath all the recently opened expensive shops and modern building, Stratford is still very much inhabited by people who work on low wages. An issue that is being realised by this conflict of class is that due to the new investments, prices in Stratford are on the rise and will continue to rise until the point where the majority of working class inhabitants will not be able to afford living in the area and they might be forced to move further east.

This gentrification process is especially harmful to the lower class which feel a historical and cultural bond to Stratford, which is being threatened by ‘’big cats’’ with pockets full of money. 

While its image grows into a a newly formed modern part of London, Stratford still carries with it a significant cultural importance to that might be more important than luxury shops and modern building. 

The issue at hand is not to stop the developments in Stratford, but rather find a way do modernise it and still maintaining its historical heritage.

by Sebastian Nita

Limitations of Gentrification

Despite the numerous pros that have been highlighted which undoubtedly follow in accordance with this modernisation of Stratford, there are also, as previously mentioned some definite issues arising regarding not only a loss of community and English culture but the foreign influence that makes up a large part of the city also, and Stratford shows some clear examples of this. 

The Pigeons

Tesco Express

Once a thriving pub and hotel, (in more recent years) known as just The Pigeons, opening as a hotel in 1826, The 3 Pigeons (as it was formerly known) granted immigrants and travellers a chance to enjoy a moderately priced London. But in 2010, like many establishments that have been robbed of identity, The Pigeons was forced to close and a Tesco Express was put in its place. Although it still maintains the pub style outside, there is a massive loss of identity for the area as pubs in England a commonly loved by locals as, generally speaking, they bring communities closer through the bond of intoxication and sporting events.     

Just a stone throw away from the Stratford UEL campus is Romford Road which sees a chicken shop and 3 off licenses situated alongside each other almost immediately after you turn onto the road from the campus. Like many off licences in London they are owned and ran by predominantly foreign families which partially contribute to the racial diversity that London has become so famous for. And since one is facing closure due to this competition from chains such as Tesco, or Sainsbury’s that was built virtually on the opposite side of the road to Tesco and given the universal acceptance of quality, they seem far more attractive to the masses than a small family ran retailers. Taking all this into consideration it’s possible that London is changing in a way that is not only modernised but seems to be stamping down on class and culture differences to create one intended audience that will make up the entirety of the city.

Off Licence (Romford Road)

From this we can gain a sense that not only specific areas of the city are becoming gentrified but London as a whole is appealing to principally middle-class, wealthier people as of course the smaller businesses cannot compete with the selection, prices/ deals and the amount of staffing that usually make for an easy transaction.

James Dathorne.