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PASSING CLOUDS VENUE SEIZED BY BAILIFFS

Venue owner evicted by new landlords...

London music and arts centre Passing Clouds has been shut down by bailiffs in an on-going battle for its survival.

Earlier this year the building was sold off to property developers, who locked up the venue in June without legal paperwork. Not ones to go down without a fight, supporters broke into the space, occupied it in protest and continued to stage events there. Then, last week, Passing Clouds owner Eleanor Wilson was taken to court by the new landlords, despite having been offered a new 15-year lease on the property, and was officially evicted.

As reported by Time Out, events came to a head on Tuesday night (16th August), when 50 bailiffs reportedly seized the building, installing metal shutters over doors and windows to prevent re-entry.

Some small hope remains for the venue however, as Wilson is supposedly considering challenging the ruling in the High Court, while activists are calling on London's mayor Sadiq Khan to support Passing Clouds (earlier this week he spoke out on the current closure of Fabric nightclub, and previously promised to help the city's nighttime culture).