A staggering amount of people have gotten in touch expressing their solidarity, offers of help and COSMIC LOVE... and we are just totally blown away. Thank you for everything. Your messages mean so much to us at this trying time.
We've asked people to get in touch with new London Mayor Sadiq Kahn, and local MP Meg Hillier, and in response we've had a few requests to do a basic email template that people can use. Feel free to use the following email/tweet templates, and add your own comments, or edit it to suit you. Together we can make our voices heard!
SADIQ KAHN -
EMAIL: [email protected]
Dear Sadiq Kahn,
As the Mayor of London, I implore you to save London's culture and nightlife scene, specifically Passing Clouds in Dalston.
A huge part of your campaign (and a large part of why so many people voted for you) was your promise to save London's nightlife.
Unfortunately since you've started your term we have lost the Silver Bullet in Finsbury Park, and 50 people are suddenly unemployed, due to Passing Clouds in Dalston losing their fight against property developers. It's also worth mentioning that Dalston's Dance Tunnel is set to close this month due to licensing issues, with Shapes in Hackney Wick and Fabric suffering from similar fates.
I understand that property developers will always exist, and seek to turn our diverse melting pots of culture into colourless offices and flats, available only to the wealthy of London. Therefore I see it as your responsibilty to make good on the promises you made during your campaign, and step in to protect our culture and heritage.
Sadiq, will you help save London's culture? Will you help save countless jobs? Will you protect community centres like Passing Clouds that provide a platform for up and coming artists, and allow people of diverse cultures, ages, races and backgrounds to come together in harmony? And where is this "Night Czar" you spoke of during your campaign?
I look forward to hearing a response from you.
Best wishes,
Your name here
TWEET: @MayorofLondon
Dear @MayorofLondon, will you stand behind your electoral promises and step in to protect important cultural venues like @passingclouds?
MEG HILLIER MP -
EMAIL: [email protected]
Dear Meg Hillier MP,
I write to you today to implore you to step in and save my local community arts centre, Passing Clouds.
I understand Passing Clouds has recently submitted an application to be considered an Asset of Community Value. I stand behind this, and strongly urge you to support their application.
Passing Clouds has provided a unique space in Dalston for the past ten years, bringing people of diverse cultures, ages and backgrounds together in harmony. It has provided a free space for countless groups such as Permaculture Picturehouse, the Hackney Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and the People's Kitchen, to grow and develop, and also to educate the community.
In your manifesto you vowed to continue to fight and stand up for Hackney. Since Passing Clouds have closed their doors, it has resulted in the loss of over 50 jobs, severely affected the livelihoods of hundreds more in the form of promoters, musicians, artists, DJs and local businesses, and has generally had a devastating impact on the local borough.
In a recent Independent article, you were quoted as saying "Live music venues such as Passing Clouds are part of what makes Hackney and Dalston a magnet for creatives and a hotspot in our city’s leisure life. It is vital that developers and planners recognise that it is venues like these that contribute so much to make areas desirable. If these are lost, some of the very reasons why Hackney is such a popular place to live and work are undermined.”
It's extremely unlikely that developers and planners will stop developing important cultural sites such as Passing Clouds of their own volition. So what do you plan to do to make sure they recognise the importance of venues like this? Wandsworth Council have recently told the owners of 120 bars and pubs that they have to seek councillors’ approval before changing the building’s use or knocking it down. Wandsworth said the 120 sites were chosen “due to their historic or architectural value or because they make a positive contribution to their community”. Why can't we do this for Hackney?
I look forward to your reply,
Your name here
TWEET: @Meg_HillierMP
Dear @Meg_HillierMP, Wandsworth Council have stepped in to protect their nightlife and culture. Will you do the same for @passingclouds?
With infinite thanks, love and blessings, from Passing Clouds xxx