Tuesday 12 June 2012

Finsbury Square! What do you think?

Hi

I used to work in Shoreditch and a few Summers ago, pre-Aaron, pre-pregnancy, I used to do circuit training near work.  A few times my Personal Trainer took me for runs all the way to Finsbury Square and back (more than once in a session) and we would do floor work on the green there, and pop into the cafe there for a drink.  It was VERY civilised and there were lots of office workers having lunch on the green. It really was lovely.  One year they even put sand there and made it into an inner-city beach.

Anyway, roll forward a few years and I haven't been to Moorgate since then.  Imagine my surprise when I go today, and this is what I see:



I took a lot more photos but as they are on my BlackBerry it is not easy to download them (I had to email these to myself).

Now I am not saying I am a rip roaring capitalist, but judging by my reaction to the above, I am clearly not a rip roaring socialist either.

I was appalled.  It smelled! Like, really smelled!!!  And the recent rain did not do the "site" any favours.  The local coffee seller says they will be gone by next week.  I REALLY hope so.

I am the sort of person who sticks up for my opinions and what I believe in.  I am really principled.  So I should sympathise with their cause......? I would have thought......

But no! I was like YUK YUK YUK.  Sorry can't be bothered with long words.  I was simply disgusted on every single level.


There is nothing about a display like that that engenders my sympathy.  

Maybe as bloggers, and twitter users we have better ways of making our points heard?  I like to think so.

Anyway, the way to bring an end to capitalism is to stop feeding it! Every high street now looks the same, because WE buy it all.

You could be deposited anywhere in England, and you'd look round, see all your familiar shops, and think you were at home, no matter where you were.  Same food joints, same shops, all uniform high streets.  I went to Leeds a few years ago and I can't remember how many Subways I counted but it was somewhere between 3 and 5, within walking distance of each other.

But we stay on the treadmill of Starbucks, Tesco, and multi-chain clothes shops.

The best way to make a stand is with our wallets not our tents.

What do you think?

Oh and I do shop in Tesco and I have errrr been to Starbucks a few times lately, but I don't do it on purpose ;-)

Liska xxx

2 comments:

  1. Urgh gosh what a site! If a 'before' image was there too im sure that would be even more shocking! It looks smelly. I mean, i can clearly see they're on some sort of protest (correct?) but if i'm truly honest, I thought it might have been a set up place by those who havent got homes.
    x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It used to be a lovely inner city green area with a lovely cafe.

      I am now reading about the basis of the site... apparently it was run quite well, until the St Pauls lot go there.

      But you are right, some of the people are homeless.

      Reading the Guardian about it right now.

      Don't like the sound of this which I just read in the Guardian:

      "The Occupy camp in Finsbury Square, now the last remaining in London, always had a different feel from its siblings. Protest signs – "Why get a job? I have an Occupation" – sit next to charts showing fire exits and drill times (1pm every Monday)".

      Liska x

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