[matilda] The Moles are Rising (part 2) Some Thoughts..

[worldwarfree at riseup.net]

Hello, the word has got out: The Moles are Rising.

You will no doubt know where we are planning to open the next space,
please try to keep it word of mouth no text or email of the location,
Babylon is watching did you not know. Putting it another way, watch what
you watch, be careful what you hear.. from the excellent Hoodz
Underground, raw Sheffield Hip Hop whom by the way never played Matilda
but it we hope to have them on board with the new space.

Here are our collective thoughts on what we would like to see happen,,

Sheffield Welfare Action Network are people always in need of cash so with
this in mind it would be kind of cool the let them use the space for a
benefit gig and possibly if there is any cash raised further donate it to
them goto   to find out what SWAN is about.

At Matilda and on the list there was talk about Mapping Sheffield keeping
a watch on this urban regeneration and our thoughts are that there are
some good aspects to all this but then there are some fucking shit ones
too.

In this weeks Sheffield Telegraph, more of an advert than an in depth
article, there is a round up of what plans there are for more student
accommodation.

During the summer we discovered the property speculation of Sheffield Uni
and Crookesmoor House was taken to accommodate bicycology then we had
ideas of going back to ground but shit never happens how you plan. We were
evicted very swiftly like losing all our new tools bought from a kind
donation and a lot of our padlocks, chains and locks.

Crookesmoor has been sold to Merlin Estates who plan to turn it into 20
luxury flats, turning out at half a million each, they're also selling
much of Harcourt Road for Sheffield Uni with a restrictive covenant not to
re use any the houses sold for future student accommodation. Alright all
of this sounds good but hang on a moment re read this yes that's right
they're making sure that they're the only ones dealing in Student
Accommodation we know there has been a deal done with Unite (those boxes
on London Road and other places) where you pay £75 a week to live in what
they call a room, no bigger than an average prison cell, we joke not, we
have been in London Road seen it for ourselves. Unite, Sheffield Uni and
Hallam (those who bought Matilda, then sold it onto Yorkshire Forward)
plan to create more of these student villages.

Alright agreed former student accommodation on Harcourt Road need to go
back to homes and here is our deal on this Shefffield Uni and Hallam
should be made to give all their former accommodation over to a housing
association then re let to people on low income, this then freeing single
person accommodation for single people. Such a move would not be an
instant cure for homelessness, indeed it is part of the order to have
people homeless - it keeps many of us in line, unless you squat the
empties.

We have been working with Sheffield Green party on what is called the
Masterplan for Sheffield there is an offer there to do some workshops on
this.

0742 we know would like to talk about being homeless, the implications for
himself and the wider community of his friends, etc. and share his 25
years of being an active Squatter sometimes for need other times to help
others.

We know Go would love to talk about the Cooling Towers the plans to
demolish them this then brings in The No M1 widening group who we feel
would like to do a workshop.

Of course SWAN would like to do a workshop on what is happening to the
benefits system.


The police have been going rather over the fucking top again in Burngreave
this fits in with ID cards, ASBO orders, Injunctions... the ever creeping
authoritarian state, an other idea for a workshop we suspect?

Did you know Sheffield City Council have four no-longer secret offices
where the omnipresent state decide who is given and who is not given
social housing? one of them called Newbank House and this is where all
this grows from plans for an action on Newbank House was Talked about at
length along with another idea for action but we all got to think how
about opening a new space? Planning a two week program of events? You will
have read this call out then thought yes i'd like some of this we hope to
see at the meeting this wed 25 7pm upstairs at The Rutland and each week
following.

There will no doubt be other thoughts and ideas, all this is just food for
thought from those who kicked off the idea, now over to you.

We have a space already taken ready for occupation and two places for a
back up if we lose the first one all are within the city centre, easy
access for disabled people we plan for the space to run for two weeks and
anything following will be an extra.

Well you have got the idea we hope see at the meetings over the next few
weeks now lets make this happen.

SSSG