The Big Smoke

Could sombody (a friend/relative) kindly list the full names of the individual squatters?
Thank you.

Guys!!!
Stop hating us, its not fair!!!
You think our parents want us back, where will we go????
Theres so much hate!! why oh why????
All we do all day is cry and watch the interest in our trust funds grow using this airjacked internet connection.
Maybe after the recession we will buy but the times not right now!!! GIVE US A BREAK!!!
I think tonight we will make some more excuses for ART and cry some more, because we like art. Look through our window or come in and see! We are a really cool/down with the kids bunch of people, just dont make us cry; please!!

Its all got a bit nasty and tit for tat since I read the first post here the Suits hate the Squatters, the Squatters hate the Suburban Hell Holers Some of the Neighbours love the Squatters some of them think they're a danger and a hazard. The Squatters want to be part of the community and be loved but the community doesnt want to love them back. Should they care? Of course not! But they shouldnt put those people down who live and work in the community around them or like angry Will would probably prefer to do have Soho ethnically cleansed of anyone over 20 in a suit and with a train pass! But then where would he stop after that?

to silm : who ever said anything about "curing the recession" and what is anyone expecting to come to them for free ?, these people , whether you like it or not have gone out and worked hard to achieve something they feel is worthwhile, you people have gotten yourself worked up over nothing , if you don't like it you don't have to be a part of it.

It upsets me that peope have been so negative about the squat. I visited with a friend a few weeks ago and it was a nice place to hang out. It's refreshing to have something in Soho that is a bit raw and not totally soulless/corporate as with much of the area.
And I have no sympathy for the person located nearby who complained-they have not harmed you in any way yet you are angry with them. You need to look at yourself and why you are angry.

Shocked? I suspect these people are not ignorant instead simply are fed up with your attitude. Offering a free cinema has no value and does not aid or help cure the recession. The only thing to be learned from your example is that young people just expect everything to come to them for free. What a naive outlook.

Absolutely, as Abraham says, try and see for your self.
Reading the posts, I am really shocked and surprised at the volume of violence fueled by ignorance directed at a bunch of young people who are actually doing something positive about the recession and its pains we are all suffering.
There is no need to reduce life to the lowest common denominator and seek to impose wage and time slavery, including the delights of the 'misery line' on every one. That is is something you chose to do, so please learn to live with it.
I would suggest, that instead we all relax, enjoy and learn from the example of the young people in the building!

DONT BASH IT TILL YOU HAVE TRIED IT! SIMPLE.

As a current resident of great chapel st this debate has been really interesting and somewhat hurtful to read. I did not know that there was such antagonism towards us in the area, every neighbour I have spoken to has been very positive about our efforts.
Please do feel free to drop by and actually talk to us about your concerns! We are not scary people and would really welcome comments and suggestions. We are quite aware that we live in a 'creative community'. Maybe you could look around the college to and see what we're doing, look at our new website for info on what's on videobasement.org (plug)
We are taking care of the building! I am very surprised when people suggest that it looks worse than when we arrived, we have tirelessly cleaned and repaired.
We did not hold a bonfire on the roof!!! We we're going to have a bbq on the roof (small and contained) but the fire warden came round and asked us not to due to the recent fire on Dean St. We agreed and there has been no fire related things on the roof. And Noran, The fire Warden was happy with our set up and has said that we are fire safe. I think it's really important to go to the source on issues like this.
Almost all of us have jobs. Running and maintaining the building, film festival and gallery being on top of that.
-- What is a squat Nazi? ---
Can I reiterate, please get in direct contact with us greatchapelcollegeclass09@gmail.com.
If you have complaints, concerns suggestions.... We want to hear them so we can make the cinema the best it can be. Thanks

Thanks for the response Will, without sounding patronising I appreciate the maturity of it and points you raised.
Sorry if I offended you.

rockbill,
I've read your post, re-read mine, and have come to the conclusion that this whole exercise is utterly futile since, as is patently obvious, we do not know each other. Your recent post exposes your considerable ignorance on the subject, as I expect mine showed insolence. I suppose this is inevitable over the face-less web. Still...
I do not know what films you have made in your company, but can tell you that every film I have seen screened at Great Chapel Street came out of an official, purchased box, or was the work of one of these ' "so-called" artists', as You put it.
I see that it is the semantics that seem to upset you the most, Chomsky. Perhaps an easier way to discuss this would be not to use such loaded words as 'artist', which seems especially to rile you, nor 'non-conformity' or 'trendy and cool'... (as for the 'stupid little confused kids' and repeated reference to our parents - I see that you are just being provocative, which we are both guilty of)
It is not about trying to be 'trendy and cool', nor am I trying to raise debates on the nature of 'art' and role of the 'artist', there isn't time enough in the day for that. It is just about, as I understand it anyway, being creative. I guess that could be their 'objective'. I really don't think it hurts anyone.
I'm not particularly annoyed or upset with the flurry of negative comments, the 'waves of people complaining of our existence' as you so poetically put it - it has nothing to do with my parents: nor the world revolving solely around me: I disagree that I should be in a refuge as I don't feel I need help: I just think that being creative and enjoying yourself while you doi it isn't such a bad thing, and Soho seems a pretty suited place to do so and I think it is rather sad that the professional residents of the area find it all so hard to swallow.
I would urge you to maybe go and see the place and talk to the people rather than becoming incensed over stereotypes you have created.
In the meantime, good luck with your 'objectives', and your inspecting of dog foul.

Will,
Firstly its fairly apparent that this timeout article is a good forum for people to voice their concerns about you and these so called 'artists'.
Secondly, the 'boring' people you refer to most probably work in the film industry (as not forgetting yes this is SOHO) ironically producing the films that you guys are showing day and night, to which you have probably never purchased in the first place.
You think that you are at the forefront of non-conformity, but you're not. What you are is just a bunch of stupid little confused kids, following an idea which you deem to be trendy or cool.
As for the 'artist' bit, I've seen more interesting dog foul then the pathetic displays in the window of 9 Great Chapel street.
It's very obvious that you are pretty annoyed and upset with the flurry of negative comments, the waves of people complaining of you're existence, maybe you're parents have done the same condemning you to a life as is.
Where you should be is at a refuge somewhere getting the help you need.
Learn to accept that the world does not revolve solely around you.
Not much else to say to you Will other then I myself am not a suited and booted as you describe but probably the same age as you, but with objectives.

So all the office workers in Soho are simply bored, boring, aging and jealous. But squatters everywhere, have sympathy...
It must be hard, getting your shiny new suit from the Selfridges sale all creased on a crowded commuter train from some god-awful commuter town cos London is too dirty for you to live in and your kids would grow up stabbing people, to sit at your desk on a sunny day feeling your life dribble away into your Frappa-latte-chino, resorting to writing mean little e-mails to Time Out cos isn't it just awful that people, worse, young people might be doing something creative and enjoyable for free that although hurts no one, is still irksome cos we got to get the Northern Line at rush hour soon and its going to be crowded and we got to pay mortgages too... And we're old.
Noran, listen to yourself "showing vhs films in a basement doesnt make you a cinema, with seating for 50 that makes you a fire hazard" - seriously, how boring is your life that you must resort to issuing health and safety condemnations in your free time...
You are all cleary too highly strung for Soho. The sooner the recession claims all of your jobs and you all get the hell out of my city back to your suburban hell holes the better.

these kids are illegally advertising this free cinema on various buildings around soho.
You post on my building again cowboys and I'll stick ur tacky posters where the sun dont shine.

trustafarians.