Lets Build Us A Tent City

[homeless]

The best piece of plublicity that we could get would be for about 1000 of us to go into some fields outside london and build us a shanty town, if done by a couple of people the police would just move them on under the squatting laws or whatever.

But what would happen if 1000 people all decieded together to occupy a piece of government or nbational park land, and build themselves a shanty town of b &q sheds and tents.

As the newspapers converged on us we could tell its becuase we are all priced out of the market, and becuase there was so many of us any embarrasment factor would be removed.Even better if we are all hard working people with jobs ect.

To remove us would be seen as a national disgrace, others would come along and join the shanty town as it grew, it would even be seen as a viable option to paying extortionate rents.

Now the government would under severe pressure from the public be under obligation to do something.

perfect

[Badger]

I like it, canvassing for votes.

[benjamin]

house prices in the area would drop by 50% overnight. we could then buy some to set the precedent, then move onto another desirable area and repeat. job done.

[matey]

Nearer to London and I save on train fares.

I like it.

[Crazy88s]

Why dont you do it in one of the parks, hyde park for example, or better still all the major parks of London. You would get global attention.

Edited February 3, 2006 by Crazy88s

[The Colour]

Why dont you do it in one of the parks, hyde park for example, or better still all the major parks of London. You would get global attention.

Are you kidding? You are not even allowed to sleep for longer that two hours by law in the park. They would run you off with succesive police horse charges.

[izzy]

I'd be up for this. It would be great fun.

Only, let's wait for summer, it's freezing just now..BRrrrrrr.

[gasket37]

it has been done before

it is called "Peacehaven" near Brighton

[Mrliberty]

I think as close to Prescotts' gaff as possible...............

[izzy]

If the London park idea is too risky, how about a field next to the M25 where we could put up a big sign. I sure we could all pitch in and rent the field for a week or so from a farmer. We could have a big party and invite the media.

[timetopaythepiper]

I'm up for it. We'll even bring the kids and make a holiday out of it.

[CrashedOutAndBurned]

It's a lovely idea, but it would have been made illegal by the repressive '96 Criminal Justice act, which sought to ban all forms of spontaneous gatherings and force people to stay at home and watch telly.

With a government in power with even more fascist leanings than even the Tories, the fuzz would be cracking skulls in five minutes flat.

How about this, though - put the shanty town on Parliament Square and call it 'guerilla property development' with the aim of pricing MPs out of office.

THAT would be worth getting your skull cracked for.

[wtc]

I'd be up for it, though I'd have to agree with a previous poster that perhaps summer time would be better for this particular operation

Surely if theres enough ppl it would be hard for the fuzz to break it up and even harder to break it up without attracting a LOT of media attention(which of course is the main aim)

Edited February 3, 2006 by wtc

[Unexpected]

I live in Aberdeen at the moment, but I think its such a good idea that I would come down there and camp at the weekend. Just to be a part of it.

[Harry Sacks]

There is a park in Exeter where people are actually doing this, not through choice however.

[Without_a_Paddle]

There is a park in Exeter where people are actually doing this, not through choice however.

(I'm not laughing at their plight BTW, just the irony of it)

[Saving For a Space Ship]

it has been done before

it is called "Peacehaven" near Brighton

Are you sure that wasn't a protest to get Peacehaven levelled flat ?

Peacehaven

A tedious town perched on top of cliffs that had sensibly been left to the sheep for the previous two millenia. Built after the First World War, its original name, New Anzac by Sea, hints of unnaturalness.

Gradually as the years progressed the American style grid system of roads was filled up with dainty little bungalows favoured by those in death’s waiting room who could no longer walk up the stairs. Neither could they walk to the town centre as

there wasn’t one, shops dotted the main road as regularly as Shane MacGowen’s teeth. Stretched out lengthways over two miles the town appears neverending.

You may get the odd lary local but you are more likely to die of boredom as those around you drone on interminably about matters the rest of the world left behind years ago.

Peacehaven is a town of nothing, a gaping hole in the time continium, an inverse Tardis - how can a space be so small in such a large area?

It has no railway, no cinema, no clubs, no sportswear shops, no factories, and sadly, for a town beside the sea, no beach.

Those with futures leave at the first oppotunity, the rest are caught in its soporific spiderweb that damns them to a lifetime of tedium.

The town does have two claims to fame, however:

It appears in Grahame Greeene’s Brighton Rock, where Pinkie falls to his death over a cliff. An apt choice for a boy without a past.

It was voted Britain’s most boring town in the early 1990s - the only time I ever admitted to growing up in the place.

Simon Carey

http://idler.co.uk/crap/?page_id=130

There is a park in Exeter where people are actually doing this, not through choice however.

I used to know a homeless ex-alcoholic who lived in Greenwich park like this for some time. He had to put his tent up & take it down every day.

[izzy]

I don't see how we will be moved on if we rent the field, afterall, does one need a licence to pitch a tent. Even if one is required, surely this is a matter for the local council, not the police. Perhaps there is legislation which pertains to travellers and romanies which might defend our case.

Let's set a date for the summer.

We could book a band, have a giant BBQ, bouncy castle ( to symbolize inflated house prices), have old fashioned school races.

Any more ideas??????

Anyone know any farmers who have land bordering M25?

[Elizabeth]

The best piece of plublicity that we could get would be for about 1000 of us to go into some fields outside london and build us a shanty town, if done by a couple of people the police would just move them on under the squatting laws or whatever.

But what would happen if 1000 people all decieded together to occupy a piece of government or nbational park land, and build themselves a shanty town of b &q sheds and tents.

As the newspapers converged on us we could tell its becuase we are all priced out of the market, and becuase there was so many of us any embarrasment factor would be removed.Even better if we are all hard working people with jobs ect.

To remove us would be seen as a national disgrace, others would come along and join the shanty town as it grew, it would even be seen as a viable option to paying extortionate rents.

Now the government would under severe pressure from the public be under obligation to do something.

perfect

As long as I could commute to London daily.

But it would have to be so hard and so fast, you couldn't have 700 of your 300 shanty dwellers wandering in on the second day.

The only problem is, Prescott would use this as an excuse to once again point out the imaginary lack of housing they like to blame house prices on and build low grade crap along the Thames Estuary. (which is likely to flood in the next 30 years if the doomsayers are correct, which I believe they are and which is great for governments because in 30 years time they will have another opportunity to spend shedloads building rubbish). How do you stay in control of the message?

[Saving For a Space Ship]

I don't see how we will be moved on if we rent the field, afterall, does one need a licence to pitch a tent. Even if one is required, surely this is a matter for the local council, not the police. Perhaps there is legislation which pertains to travellers and romanies which might defend our case.

Let's set a date for the summer.

We could book a band, have a giant BBQ, bouncy castle ( to symbolize inflated house prices), have old fashioned school races.

Any more ideas??????

Anyone know any farmers who have land bordering M25?

Sounds like an HPC Summer camp

[zen]

Count me in

[A Fool & His Borrowed Money]

house prices in the area would drop by 50% overnight. we could then buy some to set the precedent, then move onto another desirable area and repeat. job done.

Like it!!

And your avatar too!

[Without_a_Paddle]

To remove us would be seen as a national disgrace, others would come along and join the shanty town as it grew, it would even be seen as a viable option to paying extortionate rents.

I'll rent you a tent if you like. You'll have to pay a deposit and there are rules. No smoking, no pets and no DIY mods to the tent.

At the end of the ten(t)ancy I reserve the right to put up the rent and/or kick you out...

Seriously though, if it lasted two weeks no one would want to stay any longer. How long before you get fed up with poor sanitation, the smell of piss and puke everywhere and the threat of easy crime and the odd bit of violence here and there?

Edited February 3, 2006 by Without_a_Paddle