The London Traveler

London has a new educational resource - and it’s a squat.

Squatters who were recently evicted from a Grosvenor Street property after more than a year of squatting - they gained iconic status in the Guardian as ‘London’s Poshest Squat’ - have now moved into Clarges Mews, and opened up a ‘Universe-City’ (great pun!) teaching various skills to the public.

There are classes in bicycle maintenance, sewing machine basics, and welding. All useful skills. There are also more political lectures, on the Situationist Interrnational and biofuels, and how to ‘avoid’ capitalism. And there are some perhaps less immediately useful workshops on topics such as juggling, labyrinth building and traditional French bookbinding.

The squatters even put on a ‘laughter workshop’ - something that let’s face it, we could all do with!

There are only three days of this innovative educational programme left. So here’s a link to a forum with the poster for the ‘Temporary School of Thought’, and the website for the squat with a timetable.

I reckon we’ll see a lot more squatting in response to the recession. That’s just a response to economic realities. But I think we may also see a revival of some of the ideals of the Whole Earth Catalogue - linking neo-pagan spirituality, politics, and green issues, and with a commitment to education and consciousness-raising that should make ‘real’ politicians ashamed of their lack of success in these areas!