Is There Life Beyond The Old Kent Road?

Great talk among people how some of the Fanatiques do say that the end of the world is at hand, and that next Tuesday is to be the day. Against which, whenever it shall be, good God fit us all! 

- Samuel Pepys, Diary - November 25, 1662

it's a sign #3

No, the title is not referring to alien life. I can't, of course, apart from as a form of entertainment and change from the 'proper' but often depressing news, go seriously for conspiracy theories. I do however sometimes wonder how many people would go for the option if there was a red button alternative to the usual Dimbleby commentary during a Royal event broadcast, by a Grassy Knollington type, just to perhaps make things a little more interesting - especially in the current climate. There does seem to be a frustrated, anti-everything atmosphere ('Expert', Establishment, Europe...).  When people feel helpless, and that they don't know what is really going on, they're going to try and work it out somehow. What was the Brexit vote, other than the cry for help always associated with such apparent acts of self-harm, than an attempt to make voices heard? But unfortunately there are a too many newsworthy reports of cover-ups and corruption to see an end to this kind of attempt to make sense of what's going on. If there are these real acts of self-serving dishonesty happening from FIFA to, well, apparently every large organisation and government including our own, and people feel what in Italian reports at the moment is being called 'la rabbia' ('the anger' or maybe better, 'rage') then what - really - is going on?

I think at the moment, in this part of the world, everyone feels a combination of fear, helplessness, frustration and that fury. In SE16 they fight to save Odessa Street and the Scotch Derrick red crane, part of their culture and character. In SE14 owners of all types of art cafes and coffee shops spring up, maybe better than the betting shops the same people are trying to stop, as they also campaigned against the Sainsbury's Local which they didn't want or need and thought would harm the area - but arrived anyway. But the new coffee drinkers in their own way can, in the act of protecting which can only happen after they move in and become involved, disrupt the locals already there. Gentrification could I suppose come to mean the improving of an area, to reward the hard workers who got it to that stage ready for improvement, rather than an endless cycle of rich and then richer moving in and profiting off the back of those then swept away. Peckham, SE15, is now promoted as a place of culture and craft beers, but we've already seen opposition from the new to flats instead of artists' studios, and lack of proper consultation (surprise surprise) on decisions affecting market stalls and businesses and homes.

The way of course always seems to be a poor working class area, is seen to have genuine 'character' so the not-yet-successful artists want and can afford to move in. When the area is deemed fashionable the prices hike up, people wanting culture to fill their time and spend disposable income on but, you know, without too much mess (okay, so apologies - I'm maybe sometimes guilty of this) come to join their particular social group (but not of this, I have no idea what if any group I belong to, probably none, and have actually probably fallen between at least a couple). But then of course, once they've cleaned (cleansed?) groups and the everything else up a bit, the rich come along.

This is not always the way. Some of us were born in London, some did move here - just as some moved away or never want to come - and most of us have a love for this great city. Most people like their patch, wherever that is. But too often this is disregarded simply for greed and status.

And so is this all planned, or is it just the way things are? There doesn't have to be social cleansing, and who decides what is an expensive area? Is seems the artists once again hold the answer - not necessarily because their presence makes somewhere desirable or because they are a sign that it is, but that as a work of art is almost arbitrarily given an often baffling value, so must-arrive destinations suddenly appear. And it is unfortunately hard to not believe that this is deliberately manufactured, especially when it is avoidable, and by who else than those who benefit most? There's no need for some grand unified conspiracy theory of everything. It's not hard to imagine super-rich, never satisfied, status-driven people and those doing their bidding forever wanting more and finding new ways to get it. In fact, given a very naturalistic, realistic, clear-sighted world-view, it might be harder to believe it doesn't happen.

One way to make sure you have more and, naturally, others have less, is the stripping away of what you'd imagine are fundamental property rights. Everyone, especially in London, knows this isn't just a secret plot or scheme, but it's an housing scheme, called planning, gentrification or regeneration. Flats in Peckham now are available 'to rent' - as though you had any choice in the matter. When only the rich can buy in an area, intrinsic rights are gone and division is sown, you'll find 'the fury'.

And so on the Old Kent Road, SE15, what do we find at the moment? It's an exciting opportunity of course. But for who? Surely just a lucky few. Will he rest be forced to find life elsewhere? From the flyover to Tesco at least locals know something, but what? This blog will probably concentrate on this more in upcoming posts. I will try to be clear-minded in all this, see what is apparently really happening without conspiracy and who knows, it might turn out terrible or it might all be great. I started with a quote from Pepys partly as it's apocalyptic theme seemed apt, and I wonder how this obviously important time in our capital and home, looked back on as honestly as possible, will in time be viewed?