Covent Garden under threat!!

[Paddy]

Dear all
The new management at Covent Garden have decided that they want to turn it into an upmarket posh shopping mall. They believe we are in the way in two ways; we deter the more expensive shoppers and we prevent them from shopping because we distract them with our shows.

To get around this they are shortening the show lengths from 40 to 30 minutes and having a 30 minute break inbetween every show. They are doing this in the North Hall pitch and the classical music pitch.

This will kill us. This is what they want as they know they cannot get rid of us in one go they plan to kill off street performing slowly.
We are fighting back but we need all the help we can get to defeat this large corporation.

So please sign our petitions

North Hall

Classical Musicians

and for more detailed info join this Facebook group

Save Covent Garden Street Theatre

Please email other performers you know and get them involved.


Last edited by Paddy on 03-21-08 at 01:17 PM

[Paddy]

please somebody reply to this and let me know that somebody is getting involved!

[em]

Covent

I signed both Paddy...

[Paddy]

Thank you.

[tomjuggler]

Cmon people sign this! it's important.

[Mr Qwirk]

i signed.

[Evan Young]

I signed and wrote an email.
Here is what I wrote using the cut and paste from the facebook group along with my own addition:

I am writing to express my opposition to the reducing of the street theatre performance times by 50% in The North Hall, and South Hall areas in Covent Garden.

Live local and internationally traveling performers create a unique atmosphere that sets Covent Garden apart from other shopping areas, and makes it a true destination rather than just another mall.

I urge you to reconsider this direct attack on the livelihood of the famous Covent Garden Street Performers and Classical Musicians.

Yours, Evan Young


Here is what I got back:

Dear evan Thank you for your e-mail, to clarify , we are proposing a new schedule within the North Halls and Lower Courtyard in the market building to overcome the issue of simultaneous performances creating a 'sound clash' and competing against one another for audience and to create some respectful breaks from music throughout the day for the community who work and spend time in the market building. The proposed schedule simply reduces performance time by one hour, permitting performances from 10am – 8pm. The performances will alternate in 30 minute slots each hour between the spaces so that both areas are not in use by performers at the same time or overwhelmed by continous performance.

We agree that street performance is a significant part of Covent Garden’s rich heritage and we remain committed to supporting street performance within the area and we will, of course, continue to work in partnership with both of the street performance associations.
Best
Bev

[Paddy]

I love the way they are trying to say that the performing time is only being reduced by an hour whilst conveniently ignoring the fact that they are enforcing a half hour non performing time between each (reduced) performing slot. It adds up to about 5 hours a day.

[Paddy]

We did a big show on the west piazza this morning to highlight what is going on and Leslie Garrett (famous opera singer) came down and sang with us. Top woman.
And hey Robert - I saw what you wrote on the online petition. Shut up. I don't care how true it might be, they don't know do they? I should get longer actually as I have so much stuff to get through in my show.

[Paddy]

article about protest show


And we made BBC world

The woman from management has been trying to say to the media that every thing is still in negotiation. Funny because she told us that nothing was negotiable....

[Paddy]

Victory!!

The management today have backed down over their proposals for cutting performances in the North Hall!

Unfortunately this victory is only partial. They are still going ahead with the 50% cut in the performing time for the classical musicians so for them nothing has changed.

So I thank you all for your support but I now need you all to join our sister group Save Covent Garden Buskers and if you haven't already sign this petition.

The management obviously feel they have more muscle to push the musicians around than the street performers so we need all the help we can get. Please tell all your friends. People power does work - we have proved that. Now we need to prove it again.

Once again I thank everyone who has got involved and who is about to get involved.