Katie Simpson, Northampton Socialist Party
Following a hasty eviction notice for the Umbrella Fair from their building, Socialist Party members joined protesters outside West Northamptonshire Council. The organisers of the Umbrella Fair explained that they had refurbished the council building when they first gained the contract.
Renovated
Not only had they used mostly reused and recycled materials to develop the building to be a safe community hub, they offered voluntary roles to the individuals with substance abuse issues who had been squatting in the building.
The Pavilion at Northampton Racecourse had become a much-loved part of the community thanks to the hardworking volunteers from the Umbrella Fair. They now face eviction in just two months.
The response from the community has been of outrage, with a slew of comments condemning the Tory council, who advertised the building as a new Delapre Abbey-style project. Essentially a hub for those with money, rather than for important community work. One of the speakers at the protest said prospective buyers had already been round to measure for new curtains!
New home
The Umbrella Fair is fighting for more time to find a new home. But they shouldn’t have to move!
It shows the need for action to oppose all cuts, and for anti-cuts candidates to stand in this year’s local elections in West Northants, because services like the Umbrella Fair will continue to be forced out of action by a Tory council interested in money from potential businesses, rather than community services.
