The fight to save the Southbank Undercroft skate spot is still ongoing and gaining more support everyday, it would be awesome if any SB members could take the time to sign up as a member of the Long Live Southbank campaign and help to protect an important piece of cultural history from destruction. In early March 2013, The Southbank Centre unveiled designs for a £120 million redevelopment of its ‘Festival Wing’ that revealed their plan to transform the iconic Southbank Undercroft skate spot into retail units. The Southbank Centre proposes to relocate the revered and popular spot further down the river, beneath the Hungerford Bridge and build a new skate facility there. However, the Undercroft is a treasured space, known as the birthplace of British skateboarding and has been home to skateboarders, BMX riders and graffiti artists for the last 40 years. This makes the Southbank undercroft the oldest recognised and still existing skateboarding space in the world. The Southbank Centre’s proposed redevelopment site contains none of these features, has no history and lacks the unique, dynamic architecture that has made the Undercroft a globally renowned street culture space. Our campaign, Long Live Southbank, is dedicated to protecting the Undercroft in its current form. We believe its cultural and historical status to be irreplaceable and that its unique architecture and the vitality of the thriving community should be present for future generations. - See more at: http://www.llsb.com/about/#sthash.63msAYhh.dpuf
I didn't realise Southbank was the oldest park in London. I always thought it was Meanwhile. Good luck in your quest to keep it open.
After 17 months, we can announce Southbank is finally saved – a massive thank you to all who stood with us. Happy reading… JOINT STATEMENT: LONG LIVE SOUTHBANK AND SOUTHBANK CENTRE SECURE FUTURE OF UNDERCROFT FOR SKATEBOARDING AND URBAN ACTIVITIES Following talks that have taken place over the last three months, Long Live Southbank and Southbank Centre are delighted to have reached an agreement that secures the Queen Elizabeth Hall undercroft as the long-term home of British skateboarding and the other urban activities for which it is famous. The agreement has been formalised in a binding planning agreement with Lambeth Council. In the agreement, Southbank Centre agrees to keep the undercroft open for use without charge for skateboarding, BMX riding, street writing and other urban activities. - See more at: http://www.llsb.com/blog/#sthash.ImLx2T5M.dpuf
