Meet at 56a Infoshop, 56 Crampton St, London SE17 3AE
The Elephant and Castle has been one of the epicenters in the squatting movement, counterculture and challenges to social cleansing in the last decades in London. Unfortunately lately the area has been granted the title of the ‘ground zero of gentrification’ in London. It has been so heavily gentrified the last fifteen years that many locals speak about a total transformation. In order to grasp an indepth realisation of the gentrifying phenomenon, we visit 56a Infoshop, an archive and social centre in the area with rich grass roots social and political background. A place of non-stop activity from the end of 80s which offers a valuable view of anti-gentrification struggles from inside, through the connection with local highly experienced and long committed activists. We will also take a guided tour of The Elephant to visit and hear about multiple sites and forms of resistance to social cleansing. Our guide will be Southwark Notes, a long term group of locals busy resisting the changes to the area by writing, campaigning and protesting.