London electronic music and arts venue IKLECTIK facing imminent eviction, shares urgent update
Eviction notices, issued by the Foundation leading the development plans, are to be served “as soon as next week”
London electronic music and contemporary arts venue IKLECTIK is facing eviction by Christmas, the team have shared in an urgent new statement.
The post “concerning the venue’s immediate future at Old Paradise Yard”, was shared across IKLECTIK’s social media platforms on Wednesday (1st November), following a long campaign against proposed developments on the Lambeth site.
“Despite not yet having permission for the redevelopment, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation (a £1bn health fund, not the NHS Trust) are refusing to renew our lease,” the statement read.
According to the venue's team, the decision is in response to their campaign’s mobilisation of nearly 50,000 supporters, who lobbied the Secretary of State Michael Gove to halt development plans and consider calling for a full public enquiry. “If an enquiry is launched, it is likely to be around 18 months before an outcome is known,” the statement continued.
In response to this, the Foundation is reportedly “forcing last minute emergency evictions of all residents”, with notices to be served “as soon as next week.” According to IKLECTIK’s team, this negates previous promises that businesses could stay on the site until needed for demolition.
“Our public stance against the controversial plans has resulted in this punitive action against both IKLECTIK and Old Paradise Yard,” they shared.
The plans, first proposed a year ago, would see the site which IKLECTIK shares with numerous other small businesses, demolished in order to create the largest single office development ever seen in the Lambeth area of London.
The team behind IKLECTIK say that they were originally given until at least January 2024 to continue putting on events, but with new developments, “face the very real possibility of having to cease trading out of [their] current location.”
"We’re establishing a variety of avenues in which to pursue,” they added. “Including lobbying and contending our case, crowdfunding and hearing a multitude of advice.”
“We are really devastated by this news but the support we have received from our community is really uplifting,” IKLECTIK’s founder and director, Eduard Solaz, told DJ Mag. “IKLECTIK has been growing organically and after more than nine years we feel we built together, musicians, artists and audiences, a special space that must be protected.”
“More than ever we need to look after culture and make sure there are places to share and witness creativity,” he added. “We are not giving up!”
Read the venue’s full statement below.
IKLECTIK have confirmed that events will continue running right up until Christmas. A hub for experimental electronic music, arts and other cultural events, the venue will soon host sets from the likes of Manuka Honey and Gaika, among others. Find out what's coming up at the space here.
The venue are also experimenting with hosting events outside of London, with two shows coming up in Liverpool on 11th November and Manchester on 17th November.
For full information on ways to help the venue, visit www.iklectik.org/saveiklectik.
