It has been brought to my attention that a very famous landmark for graffiti artist and skateboarders alike is about to be shut down. The Undercrofts of South bank center under Queen Elizabeth Hall...

( i quote from a recent article )

"Since the early seventies ‘the Undercroft’ (the sheltered area beneath the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London’s Southbank) has served as the home of the skateboarding community in the UK. It’s an open public-space that has brought together thousands of young people, from various backgrounds, over the last 35 years to form a harmonious and positive community."

( it goes on to state )

"This type of positive and ‘unorganised’ activity for young people is very rarely seen elsewhere in the UK today… However the area is now being rapidly redeveloped and the future of ‘the Undercroft’ is uncertain. Already a large part has been partitioned off behind large wooden hoardings. Please join us in petitioning the government to guarantee that the site is:

(A) returned to its previous state (allowing the general public and skateboarders open access to the full area), and
(B) officially protected and preserved for future generations of the skateboard community to use."

There is an online petition that has been growing fast...

[link]

The Deadline is May 28 2008 for all signatures


*disgraceful1 sent me a note and he added:

"i think this really illustrates the situation well - peaceable, talented and on the whole, YOUNG, people's cultural heritage is being eradicated so that the queen won't have to look at graffiti and longhairs and are having to stand up for their sites of cultural and historical interest for themselves. You might find it easier to understand if you realise that the whole of the southbank is built in the "brutalist" modernist style (building materials on the outside and unadorned i.e. concrete and more concrete) so we're not talking about the descration of something of tudor or georgian origin. the undercrofts are an architectural feature of this style and whilst no-oneis quite sure what the modernists exactly had in mind for them, i can't imagine that they would be displeased that they have grown to be a site for contemporary art and sport.

i've been looking around on skater sites and found out that this area is so well known that it appeared in a Tony Hawks game, so it's very well known indeed. As someone who grew up in london and spent many weekends at the southbank from childhood onwards I can only add that this place is a part of the landscape down there and losing it would not only affect skaters and street artists, but would take all the colour and vigour away from the area for everyone - not least the gazillions of japanese, american and various other flavours of tourists who either seek it out or happen across it and end up staying for hours, entranced and shutter happy."

So even though you may have never skated or made your mark at this historical location I urge you to sign this petition.... It will only take a second..You never know when you favorite spot will be subject to the same consequences...

Here are a few deviations from the area:












As you can see many generations of street artists have been a part of South Bank...

Lets try and save it