Squatters call on council chiefs to give them houses
GROUP OF 26 PEOPLE EVICTED FROM FORMER RADIO STATION BUILDING
A GROUP of squatters who took over a building in south Manchester said they were only doing it because it was an empty space that could provide shelter for the homeless.
From the end of November until last week when an eviction notice was issued, squatters took over a building on Albert Road in Levenshulme.
The building, which was used by community radio station ALL FM until 2017, had been positioned for use as a nursery but remains empty.
It is legal to squat within a commercial property on the basis that no criminal damage is caused, and the group say they ran a well-organised operation after deciding to move in.
“It’s a dry house, there is never any alcohol or drugs allowed,” one of the co-organisers, who wished to remain anonymous, told the M.E.N.
“We didn’t do any criminal damage, we were very respectful of the place. When we came in, there was one toilet which wasn’t even working. We had to fix the toilet, put a sink in and put another toilet in.”
On Monday, January 6, though, the group was taken to court and were served an interim possession order (IPO), meaning they had to leave the premises within 24 hours.
Organisers say this has now run the risk of putting the 26 people who were using the building as accommodation out on the streets.
“We had people here with some health and mental problems that can’t just be on the streets,” they said. “We want the council to help these people get houses. If they are going to evict us, they should get all these people housing – they can’t just put them back out on the street.”
Organisers said the aim of the operation was always to help local homeless people survive during the cold winter.
In fact, some of the organisers were also involved in the squatting of a GP surgery in Eccles earlier this year and said the campaign was a resounding success.
“You know what, we had the building for around seven months and most of the people in the end were able to get accommodation.
“That is what we wanted to do here as well, which is give these people accommodation. I don’t mean in a hostel where there’s too many people sharing a room, but proper shared housing.”
Since taking over the building in November, the winter hostel received food, clothes and other donations from people not only in the nearby areas of Levenshulme and Longsight, but also from across the country.
“We actually had a group of people turn up from Wales,” organisers said. “They turned up with a big van full of food and supplies after they had heard about what we were doing here. It was really nice to see the support from the community.”
They added: “Capitalism is really stopping us from doing some really good stuff. It’s an empty building, it’s not being used.
“If we have the opportunity to go and squat a building, then I’d rather do that and open it for other people as well.”
Since leaving Levenshulme, the group has found a new building in the city centre to home 12 rough sleepers.
The organisers said that anyone is welcome to get in touch and visit them.
“There’s an impression with some people that it’s not safe to visit a squat,” co-organisers said.
“It’s not something to be scared of at all. We’d love for people to come round for a chat and a cup of tea.”