The Foundry – R.I.P.

East London venue The Foundry is to be demolished and replaced with an 18-storey hotel. The music and arts venue was closed 2 weeks ago, though squatters moved in immediately.

I have been here a lot of times and always had a great time and viewed some great artwork. The venue was also a favourite with the bicycle couriers that are based in and around the City of London financial district, and the Old St. area. The last I was there I had a great night with some friends that I just ran into by chance after not seeing them for about 6 months. It was that kind of place; you could go there on any given evening and see people that you had lost touch with for on reason or another.

Over the past decade the venue on Old Street has played an important role in the history of acts including Hot Chip and The Libertines, as well as the likes of author Irvine Welsh, comic Mark Thomas and graffiti artist Banksy. It was co-founded by Bill Drummond, formerly of The KLF.

Hackney Council approved plans to knock it down in February, despite protests from owners Tracey and Jonathan Moberly, who were expected to be evicted from the property by April.

Before finding fame, Pete Doherty ran a poetry night called Arcadia At The Foundry at the venue, and also included a flyer for an early Libertines gig there in the sleeve of the band's debut album, 'Up The Bracket'.

Despite opting to close the venue, which regularly hosts live music and art installations, Hackney Council has agreed to save a six-metre high Banksy mural on the building.

The Moberlys are currently in talks with the Tate Modern about relocating The Foundry's graffiti covered walls, which include scribblings by street artists including Banksy and Faile, as well as numerous bands and drinkers.

The venue has been taken over by squatters, who are in court on Thursday 24th June, and here’s a link to their website:
http://84greateasternstreet.tumblr.com/#me

The mission statement of the squatters reads:
“The Foundry was a free accessible space that hosted a variety of arts and music events.

The building will be levelled by Park Plaza who intend to build a an “Art ‘Otel” in its place, sweeping away the DIY culture that has been built over many years and by many people. This luxury hotel will capitalise on a sanitised imitation of what was, selling sub-culture tourism at a premium.

This process of gentrification has forced out our disenfranchised inhabitants of the area. Our creative potential is being sacrificed to a political system that pursues profit through cultural demolition.

In defiance of the destructive forces of the market we assert our right to culture and community though the occupation of this building and the creation of a free and open space”

Heady and high words indeed, but will the powers-that-be listen to them? Sadly, from experience I think that the “cultural squatters” will be out on their ears lickety-spit, barring a major victory in court.

I went past The Foundry the other day and saw that it had been taken over by squatters. While reading a huge print of the above mission statement and legal warning, I spotted a police officer reading them, here’s a pic. It made me chuckle!



Go to http://84greateasternstreet.tumblr.com/#me for more info and if you want to join the campaign to save the venue. Also, make sure you look at the archive, as it has some artwork and flyers for the venue over the years.

Coming up: Reviews of this weeks openings and more pics of the artwork on and around Brick Lane.

mancpete