URGENT: HELP NEEDED - Landhold have changed their minds… AGAIN.

We emailed you two weeks ago to share our exciting news that Garry Simpson of Landhold Developments had seemingly opened his heart to working with us to protect Passing Clouds' future in our beloved Richmond Road home. It is with great sadness, frustration and disappointment that we now bring you the news that he has changed his mind. AGAIN. On Tuesday we were unexpectedly served with notice that eviction proceedings are being taken against us at Clerkenwell & Shoreditch County Court TOMORROW FRIDAY 5TH AUGUST @ 10am. ***We need YOU to come and join us outside the court to call for the judge to help protect our community and conserve London's culture*** The court address is: Clerkenwell and Shoreditch County Ct , The Gee Street Courthouse, 29-41 Gee Street, London, EC1V 3RE Please dress colourfully and if you are a musician, bring instruments. We will be bringing press, photographers, megaphones and placards. Feel free to bring your own placards expressing your feelings about property developers ripping through the heart and soul of London and the UK. Any press enquiries or offers of media support should be sent to we@passingclouds.org. Below is a timeline of events for those wishing for a summary of the story so far. Much love from all at Passing Clouds and we hope you'll join us tomorrow. If you are unable to attend, please consider making even a small contribution to our spiralling campaign costs over at JustGiving >> https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/passing-clouds #PassingCloudsForever **************************************************************************** * Our building was sold to Landhold Developments in November 2015 without our knowledge and with option to buy offered to us. * Initially Landhold told us they didn't plan to make any changes and that we would be allowed to stay. * In February 2016, following repeated requests from Passing Clouds to renew our lease which expired in May 2016, Landhold informed us that they wanted to develop the building into offices and we therefore had to leave. * Passing Clouds outlined the huge financial liabilities this would incur as we had programmed a huge summer line-up to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. * After we pointed out that 3 months was not enough time to find a new commercial premises with licensing options, Landhold agreed to allow us to stay for a further 3 months after our lease end, taking us up to 11th August. * In April 2016, Landhold informed us that they had changed their minds about the 3 month extension and would allow us to stay unless we signed a letter stating we were leaving voluntarily due to alleged "dilapidation" of the building. * Having spent thousands of pounds on bringing in artists such as Lee Scratch Perry and Sun Ra Arkestra, as well as press and media costs for the 10 year anniversary campaign, Passing Clouds refused to sign the letter and stated that the 3 month extension they had agreed in writing still stands. * At 6:30am on 16th June, COUNTY ENFORCEMENT GROUP under the instruction of Landhold Developments, illegally broke into and entered Passing Clouds music venue and community arts centre, claiming unlawful possession of the premises. At 4:30pm, over 200 people from the Passing Clouds community performed a common law eviction of the trespassers and successfully reclaimed lawful repossession of their venue. * Following media hype surrounding the reoccupation, Garry Simpson finally agreed to meet Passing Clouds' director Eleanor Wilson on 22nd July - a meeting that she had been requesting for over 6 months. * Garry Simpson agreed to enter into negotiations to allow Passing Clouds to stay in the building. He opened up with an of offer of a 15 year lease at 3-times the amount of rent our not-for-profit community venture has been paying. * Passing Clouds confirmed we would consider the offer and would respond following legal consultation and business forecasting. * On Tuesday 2nd August Passing Clouds were deeply disappointed to receive a notice of eviction proceedings beginning at court on Friday 5th August.