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Graham Coxon - says the market revamp is mediocre and hideous |
‘Mediocre and hideous ’
Ex-Blur star’s judgment on the market revamp he says threatens gritty, edgy Camden
MUSICIAN Graham Coxon pitched into the row over the redevelopment of Stables Market this week, telling the New Journal that Camden Town would lose its edge when a gallery and shops make way for a “mediocre, modernist piece of crap”.
The Camden Town-based former Blur guitarist was reacting to news that 55 businesses, including the iconic Proud Bar and Gallery, are having to move out by August 28 to make way for the bulldozers.
Under the £12 million revamp of the market, part of its Victorian railway arches will be demolished and a four-storey, glass-and-chrome complex built.
Mr Coxon said: “I came to Camden because it was a gritty, edgy place with a good youth scene, good venues, interesting shops and the market.
“Now all of this has been eroded and the reasons I had are not valid. I might as well live in Holloway Road. There’s nothing wrong with that but I came to Camden to be closer to these things.”
Mr Coxon, a regular market visitor, said: “This is a pathetic attempt at f****** modernism. If they’re going to ruin the town they might as well do it in style. It’s a mediocre, hideous, layman’s, modernist piece of crap.
“What’s going to be in it? More Starbucks coffee houses and Carphone Warehouses? It should be full of tailors, shoemakers, guitar-makers, cheesemakers and independent shops, but of course they are not going to do that.”
He criticised plans to demolish parts of the historic arches, which house some of Camden’s most celebrated vintage shops. “It’s my favourite place,” he said. “I get most of my clothes there. I go two or three times a week, specially before touring because I go through clothes like mad.
“I’m shocked they can do what they like to the arches. At the first thought of this I’d have expected moves to be made to get them listed. But I suppose people were really in denial.”
The Proud Gallery – a haven for Camden art lovers – could move permanently to Shoreditch if it does not find a new home in the borough in the next few weeks.
Mr Coxon, who played at Proud Bar last year, said: “Camden was perfect for Proud. It’s an excellent place for events and photography.
“The arts are treated so badly by this country. The magic side of cultural heritage of the people who live here seems to be unimportant.”
The gallery’s move from Camden would be “a big sell-out”, Mr Coxon said. “But I don’t blame him because at least there’s respect for such places in Hoxton,” he added. “I don’t want to have to go there to see pictures and paintings. I’d like to walk into a fizzing market and check what’s going on in the gallery after dinner.”
In the year the bar has been open, it has attracted the likes of Razorlite, Carl Barat of Dirty Pretty Things, the Foo Fighters, Liam Gallagher, The Kooks and Dizzee Rascal.
Gallery owner Alex Proud said Camden Council should be courting the venue, which has been in the borough for a decade.
He said he had not found anywhere big enough in the borough for the gallery, adding: “It would be useful if Camden actually said overtly they wanted it to stay.
“Five thousand people a week go through these doors. Most councils would think twice before kissing goodbye to a major museum.”
A Stables Market spokesman said: “There is a lot of misinformation circulating about the new development. We have spent six years designing the new building to ensure the market keeps the same atmosphere. We want the new development to enable us to become a world leader in used, collectable and vintage clothing. The new building is designed to host small, independent shops. All tenants have been invited to return to their original location and a large number of features are staying the same.”
A Camden Council press official said yesterday (Wednesday) that the Town Hall had received a planning application from Proud Gallery to re-locate to another building within Stables Market. |
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