Yesterday, more anti-homeless spikes were installed outside a Southwark building.
Yesterday, a local resident sent us two photos of more spikes being installed outside what looks like another, possibly private residential building on the corner of Druid Street and Abbey Street in Bermondsey.
Considering the amount of genuine outrage the anti-homeless spikes outside a Southwark Bridge Road building caused [which were removed following a series of protests and a petition with nearly 130,000 signatures, see here and lots in mainstream press], and the subsequent urgent discussions and actions around homelessness, to hear that this is again happening is deeply disturbing.
The company which, according to the resident, was involved in the installation is ‘Ben Dudgeon Ltd’, which sadly does not seem to exist either on the Companies House directory nor elsewhere online.
We have not been able to get to the site ourselves yet, but, if you live or work locally or have any information as to why the spikes have been installed, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Updated 13:30, Tuesday 22nd July 2014
Journalist Kate Belgrave, who was able to go and visit the site earlier today, found out that the company managing this block is in fact Newton Jones Ltd Property Management Company, a London-based company with offices in Surrey Quays which, as they tell us, ‘has a reputation for integrity’ and ‘provides a personal approach to property management’. When contacted, Newton Jones representative claimed the spikes were installed to ‘deter skateboarders’. Kate rightly pointed out that the big plastic spikes could actually seriously, permanently injury anyone, especially a child, if they were to accidentally fall onto them.
