Wards Corner and Seven Sisters Market

The Big Hug at Seven Sisters Market at Wards Corner in Tottenham on Sat 8th April was a resounding success. A huge crowd of over a thousand turned up to hear about the threat of demolition to this site and the possible loss of the the Indoor Market. This site is currently facing a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) from Haringey Council and the developer, Grainger. This is due to be heard on 11th July this year.

Over 2,000 people have objected to the CPO. Though Grainger are obliged to rehouse the market, the fear is that they will be priced out of the new development. And this promise does not help the rest of the occupants of this site, many who have had their lives blighted and have faced eviction with no offer of rehousing. The last years have been uncertain for a group of people who have faced persecution in their own countries and hoped to find refuge here in London. Sadly they have been badly let down for the last eight years. This is a shocking thing to do to such a vulnerable community.

But despite this, the market put on a display of music and dancing that showed such hope and optimism, that it couldn't fail to raise the spirits of everyone there, and the audience responded with rapturous applause. It was a timely reminder of what we have been fighting for. Tottenham has shown, once again, what they feel about the desecration of their community by developers. The Seven Sisters Market is the second largest concentration of Latin American businesses in the UK and also serves an important cultural centre for this community.

The campaign is in urgent need of funds to pay for the legal costs of the CPO hearing, and have set up a crowd funding page for this purpose.

https://www.youcaring.com/latinvillagewardscorner-714518

However, Tottenham is now facing an even greater threat from the proposed Haringey Council's Development Vehicle (HDV), locally known as the Haringey Demolition Vehicle. This proposal joins forces with the discredited company, Lendlease and will destroy much needed council housing on an unprecedented scale. The council's pursuit of this insane proposal has met with incredulous disbelief. The leaders of Haringey Council should be protecting their communities. Instead they are letting them down at every turn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzFcb78S0Pw