Cotall St squatters (The most disgusting block of flats, anywhere in the entire world, right here in Tower Hamlets)
When Mum came to visit in June, I pointed out an ugly block of flats in Old Kent Road which I thought were the ugliest I’d ever seen. I was wrong. These flats here are the ugliest I’ve ever seen. Ever.
They are in Stepney, part of Tower Hamlets. Stepney scares the hell out of me. And my sister, who had to get her National Insurance number from the Job Centre in Stepney. I was almost too scared to take these photos. They take up almost the whole length of Cotall Street, Stepney.
All the graffiti and disrepair must be a recent thing though… because Street View doesn’t show them to be in quite as bad condition as the photos I took today (from the Street View link, you might have to rotate the camera 180 degrees to see the flats).
I was sure these flats were uninhabited, waiting to be demolished. But believe it or not, that’s not the case! There were people everywhere! Click the photos to see them up close.
I go past these flats a lot, as they overlook the Limehouse Cut canal which I like to run down.
The worst bit is there’s a brand new fancy apartment block going up on the other side of the canal that, when finished, will have a view directly onto this eyesore. Poor them.
EDIT: I read this Page:
http://gutshot.com/bforum/blog.php?b=387
Apparently they were due to be demolished. But they’ve been completely taken over by squatters. Lovely. Makes sense though.
Heres my gallery of the beautiful squat on Cotall Street. I personally hope they stay as long as possible.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=97112&id=509577240&l=e833f7a9bd
The squatters don’t have long left. Bellway Homes have applied for planning permission for their New Frontier Quarter on the southern side of the park which includes the complete removal of Cotall Street and block. Lansdscaping will begin in the new year. Bellways intend to completely remove Lindhurst Street and Cotall Street to expand the park right from the edge of their new development up to the canal itself, creating a large more thought out public space for all of the residents to enjoy.
Considering the way local opinion has gone to the Squatall Court residents with the noise, littering, abusive behaviour, vandalism and drug dealing. Everyone in the neighbouring estates just can’t wait to see this go
I just wanted to say that I lived in the Cotall street block for a while and the people living around me were some of the kindest and friendliest people I have ever lived with. The people there shared their house and food with me when I had nowhere to live for a short while and the only hassle or aggression I got was from the block of new apartments next to the squat where some people would yell abuse at us for just walking around the area.
To be honest, I think the squat carries allot of undeserved stigma,
The building is just a reminder of the neglect and waste of public space in the city, the squatters are trying to turn it into something useful and human, I think it’s rich trying to kick these people out when they’ve been working hard to fix the poorly thought out planing and construction of the apartment right in the centre of London.
Clearly there’s a lot more to this building than appears from simply walking past. Thanks for all the comments so far.
I’m living here now, my flat is very cosy and comfortable but we don’t drink the water! I’m currently trying to find out when its being demolished, opinion seems to be mixed..
Hi Lou. I also squat in Cotall St. though I have mixed feelings about it. It is VERY run-down and dirty AND there are drug dealers, but there are everywhere! On the whole though, I must say that I have only had positive experiences there and have attended the film festival even.
I know they will be demolished soon, which is a shame, but you can’t stop the “march of progress”.
Just about to go to look for another squat and I would like to stay in East London. Any suggestions?
Hello Lou and Pete, i have been living at Cotall street the last few months. My flat is lovely and my neighbours are great. Ive not seen many drug dealers around the block or have i had any trouble. Ive noticed more police presence over the last few weeks. Eviction is rumoured to be on the 30th November which i am told was confirmed by someone who contacted the council. So be prepared on that date to leave. Hopefuully not
Hi!
I’m a squatter in Cotall St. as well. I spent there the most amazing summer of my life. This place is full of artists, creative people and generally friendly people – love you guys!! And thank you for being there and all of the good things you ever done to each other!
Me
i also spent my summer in Cotall street and i just can say- pepople there are (was) amaizing and friendly. And i can sure say- best summer. I miss Cotall str.
Hi,
Nik says “Eviction is rumoured to be on the 30th November”, and when i was in Cotall Street the rumor say the same thing, it’s tomorow… someone can write news here tomorow and after please ???
thanks
I lived in Cotall Street for a few months and at first, it was really nice there. There seemed to be a real drive to build a community in which sharing and looking after communal spaces were high on the agenda. Things started to change though and selfish behaviour became more and more apparent, with very loud parties and lack of care for shared spaces. It seemed as if a lot people were living in some kind of bubble, with little thought for the impression they were giving of the squatted space or concern for the neighbours. This and the hierarchy that existed in the social structure all led me to not feel that sad when I moved.
Having said that, I’m happy that the building was squatted. It seems criminal that habitable spaces should be smashed up by the council and left empty until they are demolished when there are so many people in need of affordable housing. And then for “luxury” appartments to be built, which only the better off would be able to afford. For all its negative points, Cotall Street is/was a testament to the ability to turn gutted, smashed up flats into comfortable, cosy homes.
On December 10th at 08:00 around 200 police and council officers forced their way into the building to carry out mass evictions on behalf of the buildings owner Bellway homes. The eviction was legally notified on November 29th after locals protested outside Tower Hamlets Town Hall near East India Dock. The night before the evictions took place many of the building’s communal areas were heavily vandalised and three dwellings were apparently set alight, one flat was completely gutted by the blaze.
Of course the residents of the luxury appartments next door were abusive. Their flats were just dozens of feet away with their balconies facing the noise, the squalour, the decay, and the drunks on the rooftop shagging away in broad daylight in full view of their children. That was the moment the local community turned sour to the squatters.
The block is now surrounded by security fences and has a 24hour guard onsite. The mains power has been cut (again) and the sewer concreted to prevent any attempts at future occupation. The eviction being so close to christmas has been labelled as heavy handed by many from outside the area but enough was enough… the free party couldn’t last forever. There are around 300 abandoned properties in the area with large run-down swathes of the Lansbury estate lying vacant and boarded up next to Langdon Park DLR Station, but the squatters seem to have moved on elsewhere.
Here are some photos from the morning of the eviction. The remaining squatters left peacefully and were just removing the remaing things. The police were not heavy handed towards the squatters from what i saw. The properties by Langdon Park DLR have been completly gutted by teh council. I believe it is just junkies using the building. Most Cotall Street Residents have moved up to north london or the Canning Town area.
Enjoy the photos
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=131174&id=509577240&l=c4c1141d0b
As for 24hour security, i have yet to have yet to have seen any of the guards on site yet and there is still a lot of interesting goods inside the property.
Once again, thanks for all the comments, I’m surprised how many people read this blog entry.
Here’s the official story from Tower Hamlets:
http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/…/cotall_street_squatters.aspx
Get your facts right before you post on the net!! 1.This block of flats is in POPLAR which is not and has never been part of Stepney.It’s like me calling you an Australian!!!!!!
2. The flats are only run down because the council have been moving permanant tenants out since the decision to pull them down. When the flats were first built in the ’60′s and through the ’70′s and ’80′s it had the most fantastic community spirit. Everyone knew everyone else and everybody took turns in keeping the shared landings and dust shute areas clean. In the summer everyone would chat for hours outside in the evenings. There were large play areas for the kids downstairs in the ‘square’ as well as the big park behind. I lived there for 26 years and only moved out when my husband and I got our forst house together.
It makes me sick when knobheads who think they know everything spread their stupid ideas on the net. Why don’t you go home to New Zealand?
I stand corrected :O
I only saw them after they had fallen into disrepair and once everybody had already been moved out. I’m sure that before that, they were as nice as any other Tower Hamlets block of flats.
When I wrote this article I’d never seen a block of flats taken over by squatters before, and I was naive enough not to realise this is what was going on.
No they were better than all the other flats around!!
I lived here in the 90s – and it was great.
Got a little run-down in the late-90s though and my family and I moved out.
Drove past this place in early 2010 and was SPEECHLESS at how bad it had got (mind you, this was mid-demolition).
Heaven only knows how bad it must have got in the Noughties.
Well said Gill!!
I lived at 34 Cotall street for 30 years!! We moved in when they were first built. I can tell you that it used to be a well run block of flats with very lovely people living in it. I had a very happy childhood there with my sisters and friends, whom also lived there. Like everything in time things change. It doesn’t deserve to be run down. So Matt, who ever you are, from New Zealand, you idiot!……why don’t you go back to New Zealand.
Carole, you’ve told me to go back to New Zealand, but you haven’t actually stated what exactly it is you don’t like about my article.
I stated in my article that the flats were run down at the time I saw them, which they were. I made no comment about the state of the block when it was first built.
And to answer your specific question, even if I did go back to New Zealand, I would have written exactly the same thing over there, so that wouldn’t really serve any purpose, would it!
I lived in Cotall Street in 2005 – 2006. When I first saw them I was a bit shocked at the state of the building but the room sizes were great and I have nothing but fond memories.I was a bit said when they were demoilshed but they had been rumours of this for years.
Also the area is Poplar not Stepney!
Blimey why don’t the council spend some money on this block. I can’t believe that it is habitable. Where is all of our taxpayers money going? Surely this block needs to be demolished?
I see everything’s gone now… except for a construction fence. http://blog.g2-tech.co.uk/2011/04/cotall-st-squatters-part-ii-gone/