BBC Web Site Article

Yorkshire Forward plans to turn it into offices and flats

Squatting artists told to get out

Yorkshire Forward plans to turn the building into offices and flats A group of squatters who say they have turned a derelict building into a community arts centre have been ordered by a court to move out.

The group, who call themselves the Matilda Collective, have been using the former Yorkshire Arts Space building on Matilda Street for a year.

But Yorkshire Forward, which owns the building, wants them out.

A judge at Sheffield County Court has ruled in favour of the regional development agency.

‘Useful resource’

Members of the group staged a protest outside the county court, dressed as clowns with placards reading, “Oh no! Where will we go?”.

Mark Cohen, from the Matilda Collective, said: “Whatever is going to happen here, it isn't going to happen for a couple of years, and in that couple of years we can develop quite a useful resource for the local community.”

But a spokeswoman for Yorkshire Forward said there were health and safety issues to consider.

She said: “It would be irresponsible of us as building owners – regardless of what the people inside are trying to do – not to try to make sure that nobody gets hurt or injured in and around this building.”

text and images taken from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/5108216.stm

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