A spokeswoman for the library said: “It is ironic that the Feminist Library is in danger of being made homeless on March 1, when March is Women’s History Month and March 8 is International Women’s Day.
“Many libraries, women’s organisations, and longstanding community projects have been forced to close in the current climate of austerity, including Lambeth Women's Project, Peckham Black Women's Centre, and the London Irish Women's Centre.
“Southwark Council forcing the Feminist Library to pay market rent immediately is another symptom of this.”
Wait, what? 'Pay market rent'? What have they been paying up to now?
Southwark Council said the library has not paid rent in seven years and instead only pays a £12,000-a-year service charge.
*speechless*
A council spokeswoman said the library had been offered rent of £18,000, in addition to the service charge, or help with finding alternative premises.
Councillor Fiona Colley, cabinet member for finance, said: “For the past seven years the Feminist Library hasn't paid any rent for its premises. Whilst we recognise and appreciate the work that’s been done by the library, we have a very clear duty to ensure our assets are being managed responsibly, and that we are being fair to other tenants who are paying open market rent.
“We have offered the Feminist Library a new lease with rent levels that reflect what other organisations in the building are paying. We have also given the library the time to find alternative premises.
“I have personally offered to meet with them to discuss the situation and try to find a way forward that meets both our needs, but at a time when the council's funding from government is being cut by £47m we are simply unable to continue to subsidise their rent.”
Ahahahahahahahahaha!
I bet the local council tax payers will be outraged.....not.
ReplyDeleteThey've chosen their niche market, they just need to find the profit in it.
ReplyDeleteGo online and merge with another?
ReplyDeleteI'm a woman and I live in Southwark, yet I didn't know about this library until this post. And nor did anyone else I know. Not that we'd use the place, it's just another bunch of hipsters trying to make their hobby seem important.
ReplyDeleteWTF is a feminist library? This lunacy needs to be culled once and for all.
ReplyDeleteSo, is this a bitch (collective name for a group of radical women?) who are seeking equality or a bitch of women demanding privileges that are not available to others, especially men?
ReplyDeletePenseivat
"I bet the local council tax payers will be outraged.....not."
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many could even tell you where it was?
"Go online and merge with another?"
Well, yes. Don't they have any business studies tracts in their feminist library?
"...or a bitch of women demanding privileges that are not available to others, especially men?"
You could always set up a misandrists library - I wonder if you'd get a grant? And...what would you fill it with? ;)