LUXURY AMIDST DECAY
By Goda Andrulionyte
Suicide – Dream Baby Dream (Pitchfork, 1979)
Gentrification: research indicates a 40% increased vulnerability to Depression
North-Woolwich has a rich history of industrial action, and has been left decayed from the vast movement of the 21st century, into the power of developers and landlords. The consequences of which currently being observed throughout London, having an especially notorious impact on our youth.
As I endeavor the footsteps of previous teenage ravers, I meet Molly who shares her experience of the pre-rave, post-rave, and what she’s been left with.
Molly Cheetham, 23, Ex-Raver
Molly has been living in North Woolwich her whole life. As someone who comes from an ex-dock worker family, she has experienced first-hand, the impact that gentrification has had on her way of life.
From the struggles of depression to the escape through illegal raves being her only affordable outlet, amass the new landscape of supposed luxury apartments, suddenly towering overhead.
“Let me introduce you to my home.”
We walk past council estates and emptiness. Molly is happy but with sarcasm in her voice.
“A haven of nothing. Chicken shops, kebab shops, small rundown cafes, corner shops and abandoned places. The abandoned places, being the best bit.
Nothing has changed since the new flats have popped up.
They promised new jobs and opportunities to the people who’ve lived here as long as me, but we still have to travel out into the places we always went to in the past, the further the better. There’s a lot of gang related violence and crime throughout, so I’ve never felt safe or welcome here, even though I’ve grown up around it all.
Depression?
Probably the substance abuse from the age of 15. That wouldn’t be an issue realistically if I hadn’t been here, bored and restless. Ambition isn’t heard of here much, why would I do good at school if even the schools give up on you?
Raves gave me a quick burst of adrenalin. Easy to get to round here with the countless amount of warehouses left for dead. Ironically, there’s an abandoned police station here…
I don’t have the prospects that you have. My choice to become a personal trainer is because this is the only realistic thing I have in terms of getting out, but when my body is tired, it’s tired!
How did the area influence your lifestyle?
Woolwich is more attractive because you can host things here without the risk of getting shut down and put in prison, whilst still being in London. Otherwise, everything is pushed out into Surrey which is way more dangerous because then you’re stuck without a way to get home at like 3am, if it does get shut down.
Illegal activities are easy to host in places as let down as this...
How does this link to gentrification?
Gentrification over here is a bit different to the usual places you hear about. Hackney, Brixton, Peckham (yeah, there is a rave scene there, but it’s not the best in terms of the police).
I got involved with the wrong because I, just like them, have no guidance. We don’t have the fancy jobs that can afford our family the things they deserve. We couldn’t afford the rent as it was, so crime paid for our existence, as sad as that is…
…So, we sold drugs and hosted raves
How has this impacted the community?
These places had a reduction of crime because the people who lived there (like myself) were simply sent away somewhere far from their community; though, the crime increased in the places elsewhere. People are moved away in the same way, but most of the time through rising rent prices.
Our issues can’t be erased by being moved away.
These new blocks are built on bits of empty land. Sounds better than the usual, but that just means we’re left with these buildings that no one wants or can afford, because the upkeep is too much.
You look around, everything is so ugly. How do you think this impacts us? We feel the way these places look – ugly, unwanted, decayed. So, you get things like knife crime, [drug] dealing, gangs.
Do you think there is any help available?
No.
We were promised cheaper prices to afford the buildings before anything else was considered. Considering these buildings go for £500k each, no one can afford this even with help to buy, not when your family doesn’t even have savings. What if we don’t want to live in these places?
We grew up in our little shit houses, we just want help surviving
What change do you want to see?
I want to see real opportunities for us. Newham has sold us to the highest bidder, just like any other borough.
I want a cleaner Thames with the docklands covered in boats, not empty homes.”
