After now completing more than one term in confinement with Covid 19 we had been feeling more optimistic about early release from pandemic – new normal future at OPS.
However, just last week we heard from Temporary Contemporary that discussions with the building owner Kallars to extend access until redevelopment starts, came to nothing and they have served notice to quit the lease, which expires on May 31st 2021 in just 9 weeks time.
There seems to be little scope for negotiation, as sub tenants we have little contact with Kallars and they little patience with us, preferring instead to deal with Anthony Gross directly as it’s his deal that’s ended.
Those in the 42 studio spaces over 4 floors have taken just a week to begin gutting their hoarded collections of materials and works in progress, so that the yard area inside the gate has become a tottering stack of ply, plaster, fabric and guff of life. Over the coming weeks this relative trickle will become a torrent overflowing available bins (as it often does anyway) obstructing regular use.
Before panic really sets in we are hopeful of identifying alternative workspace locally so a majority will find it viable to move on into suitable new space together. For some perhaps all that seems too much of a complication and may have already made plans but our strength has been as a group accommodating one another with little friction and positive cooperation. For those who arrived to fill spaces vacated a year ago at the outset of lockdown know only too well how tricky finding anywhere to work let alone arranging access transport etc. We all have that transition ahead of us as individuals or en masse.
Any suggestions of suitable buildings, project spaces, retail units or holes in the ground welcome – messages to policed@spc.org will reach the group promptly. Find out more and stay in touch, join the Policed mailing list.
A similar fate faces those in studios spaces at Enclave also run by Temp Contemp but whom are in dispute with Lewisham Council and L&Q over dubious billing for utilities and neglect of security responsibilities following mass breaking during 2019.
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