Squatters in pub fight

November 20, 2009

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Tony Ross of The Freedom Project have moved into the Grade II listed Trafford Park Hotel and say they want the building to be a refuge for people who have fallen on hard times in the recession.

SQUATTERS have set up home in a historic former pub and now want to highlight the plight of the dilapidated building.

Members of a group called The Freedom Project have moved into the Grade II listed Trafford Park Hotel and say they want the building to be a refuge for people who have fallen on hard times in the recession.

The group, which has about 50 members, plans to transform the Victorian-style building on Third Avenue, Trafford Park, into a 'social centre' with workshops and artists' studios.

And now they want to raise awareness of the troubles facing the pub, owned by Enterprise Inns, which was a cornerstone of the community for almost 100 years.

Home and refuge

One member of the group, Paul Seymour Harris, said: "As much as we consider this place our home and a refuge for people from all walks of life, we want to bring this neglect to the public's attention.

"This pub serviced the community well for many years. It's a shame they are letting it rot."

Built in 1902, the Trafford Park Hotel has lain empty since May 2008 and has been badly water-damaged because of drainage problems, with some ceilings on the top floor partially collapsed.

Members of The Freedom Project say they gained access to the building three weeks ago, through a side door that was left open and called Enterprise Inns to inform them.

There are now eight people squatting there including three from Poland and two from France, along with three dogs.

Repossessed

Paul, 46, originally from Chew Moor, Bolton, was left homeless in May when his house was repossessed after he lost his job as a mechanical engineer.

He found The Freedom Project through its Facebook group and was invited to move in to the Trafford Park Hotel.

He said: "The group is apolitical - it's about freedom of expression, activity and thought."

Enterprise Inns have taken members of The Freedom Project to Salford County Court where a judge gave the brewery an order for possession of the building.

Enterprise Inns declined to comment.

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gillykins, urmston (20/11/2009 at 08:29)

Once a proud building that was cosy at dinner, sold good beer and a wonderful curry (yum) reduced to a squatters den. Well at least its still being used instead of rotting alone!

BlueBoy1 , Bolton (20/11/2009 at 09:10)

This pub serviced the community well for many years. - not your community though, unless you travelled everynight from Poland and France - let's see how many of there friends from the homeland come running now that they've got a place to live!!

Knowall, stretford end (20/11/2009 at 12:19)

imagine if i went to france to squat in a pub there, i reckon the french authorities would have me out in minutes and on the next ferry back, so i can assume that the border patrol will be down at the trafford this afternoon.

Black Flag (20/11/2009 at 12:26)

Knowall: "imagine if i went to france to squat in a pub there, i reckon the french authorities would have me out in minutes and on the next ferry back"

You might imagine that, do in the real world, it wouldn't happen because it would be illegal.

MarXPacE, Sheriff Street (20/11/2009 at 12:30)

Loads of places in Rochdale to squat; and they're backed up in legal process!

Knowall, stretford end (20/11/2009 at 12:40)

Black flag

France and illegal action by their police, how do you think most migrants get to Calais, France may be a founder member of the EEC, but they adapt the rules to the way they want to, France first the rest second and Britain about forth.

Sam Anderson (20/11/2009 at 12:53)

Rather than squatting, why don't actually do something useful like finding a job? No, that would be too much like hard work wouldn't it?

Black Flag (20/11/2009 at 13:09)

Knowall,

If you've got any evidence of British nationals being forcibly removed from France back to the UK, I'd be interested to hear it, but in the absence of that, I'll take it with a pinch of salt.

Black Flag (20/11/2009 at 13:18)

Sam Anderson: "Rather than squatting, why don't actually do something useful like finding a job? No, that would be too much like hard work wouldn't it?"

What makes you think they aren't? Have you actually read the story, or, like so many, have you just pounded your fists on your keyboard without bothering to get your brain involved in the process. If you'd read the story properly, you would have seen this:

"Paul, 46, originally from Chew Moor, Bolton, was left homeless in May when his house was repossessed after he lost his job as a mechanical engineer. "

So, are you suggesting that a man in his forties in a skilled job deliberately decided on redundancy and homelessness as a lifestyle choice?

J smith (20/11/2009 at 13:19)

I love the terms "freedom of expression", don't you just love the people who drop out of society and claim to be anarcists and rebels etc....yet still expect the tax payer to pay for them. Time to rethink the benefit safety net (or should it be hammock).

Alan Partridge, Linton Travel Tavern (20/11/2009 at 13:29)

Squatters or good for nothing tramps? I'm gonna stick with the latter.

Alan Partridge, Linton Travel Tavern (20/11/2009 at 13:33)

Black Flag,
20/11/2009 at 13:18

Shouldn't you be in your social work office canteen, buried in your Gaurdian newspaper about now?

"left homeless in May when his house was repossessed after he lost his job as a mechanical engineer."

Get a job at TESCO or Mcdonald's, they're still employing people. Beggars can't be choosers!

Black Flag (20/11/2009 at 13:57)

Alan Partridge: "Shouldn't you be in your social work office canteen, buried in your Gaurdian newspaper about now?"

Maybe if I was a social worker, but in any case, I'm currently too busy trying to handle irony overload after seeing somebody who spends time reading a Guardian group website making negative comments about people who spend time reading the Guardian.

citycentre, manchester (20/11/2009 at 14:45)

"Get a job at TESCO or Mcdonald's, they're still employing people. Beggars can't be choosers"

Probably impossible without an address to use, where does it say he is a beggar?

"Rather than squatting, why don't actually do something useful like finding a job?"
I suppose by taking custodianship of an empty building and avoiding our over inflated accomodation costs he as avoided the need to work, maybe the owners should pay him to keep vandalls out?

allotment lad 2, Sunny Manc (20/11/2009 at 14:54)

Lol @ Black Flag

It's a shame that Enterprise Inns have chosen to allow the building to become open to the elements - it won't last long once the winter rains etc work their way through the structure. As the place is listed don't they have a responsibility to keep it in good nick? Good luck to the squatters, so long as they look after the place.

petitevamp, bolton (20/11/2009 at 14:58)

Get a job in McDonalds or Tesco!!! There aren't any jobs in either of those places and believe me I have tried. I am a qualified person and made redundant recently as well and have applied for jobs in these places. Wrong time of year to start off with and also thousands unemployed so not enough jobs to go around. I hate smug people sat in their nice protected little jobs telling desperate people what to do.

Andanotherthing, Mcr (20/11/2009 at 15:04)

I would rather see the building housing the homeless, than being left to rot by the Co that own it. To many useful listed buildings are allowed to fall in to cronic disrepair.

Andanotherthing, Mcr (20/11/2009 at 15:05)

petitevamp, bolton
20/11/2009 at 14:58

Keep trying and GOOD LUCK!

steve wilson (20/11/2009 at 15:12)

allotment lad If you believe Trafford Council will enforce Enterprise Inns to maintain the building I would suggest you check out what they allowed to happen to Longford Hall.

Black Flag I cannot believe that I am agreeing with you but your comments are spot on;these people who believe jobs of any description are easy to find obviously have no idea of the current state of the job market at present.

uncle bulgaria, Wimbledon Common (20/11/2009 at 15:23)

This is fantastic new! It's about time we had proactive groups such as 'The Freedom Project' begin to utilise empty buildings around Manchester. It works in Europe (look at Berlin) so why not Manchester.

There have been too many historic or listed buildings left to dilapidate so that the owners can make them unsafe, pull them down and then build flats or other profit making enterprises. These buildings are left vacant when they can be used for communities, the Freedom Project want to house those who have suffered from recession repossession etc then fair play to them. Let them turn these kinds of buildings into social and community spaces, artist spaces, living accomodation.

Many people complain that we don't have the 'sense of community' we once had in the UK but then complain if groups that don't fit into the social 'norm' try to create communities.

Why don't we all post a selection of buildings for other squatter groups to consider.

1. Gateway House - (Landmark Modernist Manchester Building) idiots at town hall want to knock it down and build an awful redbrick entity like the one near Piccadilly Gardens

2. Cine City Withington - Oops....idiots at the town hall agreed for it to be demolished for flats...that will never got built

3. Withington Ale House

4. Urbis

5 + Any number of fantastic old public houses, hotels, colleges schools and other buildings that are lying dormant all over the North West.

john nancollis (20/11/2009 at 16:06)

Good luck to the Freedom Project. Enterprise Inns is one of the largest pub operators in the country. They have fallen on hard times becuase their model is that of a property developer which happens to sell alcohol. Since International Global Capitalism recently saw its backside when someone in the huge credit chain that had been created asked to see the money, and many innocent investors lost large amounts of money (eg Christies Hospital, Iceland (the country!) etc, Enterprise's share price has collapsed. Rather like the government of the UK, who have bailed out the high priests of capitalism with the taxpayers hard earned money, who can Enterprise 'create value' from other than their serfs (licensees) and their victims (pubgoers)? They struggle to do this in the face of competition from other subscribers to International Global Capitalism who encourage people to stay at home, away from all the nasty muggers (Sky TV, Tescos). I am encouraged to see people like The Freedom Project taking direct action to address this scandalous neglect (of property, disadvantaged, dispossessed people). Only when the economic model which the Western World (and increasingly the East) subscribes to is modified to take account of the negative social effects of Global Capitalism, will we see a world without homelessness and poverty. Things are changing (eg the rise of the 'third sector', but slowly. I see this squatting of this property as a positive step. Good luck !!

Anthony Cutt (20/11/2009 at 16:24)

Whether you agree with the idea of squatters or not, it's a blessing that someone is calling Trafford Park Hotel home. For that building to be empty & unused is a crime. Incidentally as a squat it's ideally located as it's nowhere near residential areas, which should keep the NIMBY's happy.

Still, lets not get in the way of a putting across bigoted viewpoints... 'get a job! dirty tramps, it's a disgrace etc etc.'

Anthony Cutt (20/11/2009 at 16:26)

I almost forgot:

I think Enterprise Inns might find the building in demand now there are squatters. Nothing gets planning authorities out of bed quicker than a dilapidated building actually being used by people.

John Graham (20/11/2009 at 21:14)

I'm sorry, but those of you who don't know these good for nothing squatters as you are calling them are a lovely bunch of people and have a heart unlike the sound of sum of you on here with your negative comments. These guys put pride into cleaning up and out these deteriorating buildings which someone should should take responsibility of rather than being left to rack and ruin!! Manchester should be retaining its buildings for the great architecture that has been put into, this is part of the great history of Manchester and these great buildings that are being left in a sorry state should be saved. I take my hat off to Tony and the rest of the guys who I have met and spent a lot of time getting to know over the last year or so and would now consider to be great and dear friends.

As a Scotsman, I have great pride in my country, the history, the culture and also what helps make Glasgow what it is today, its great architecture of buildings old and new! This is what makes me as patriotic as I am today.

If Manchester cared about it's history and past they would put the time and effort into saving these wonderful building that so much care and attention went into in the first place. If it's not taking responsibility, hand these buildings over to the people who are, people who not only are using these buildings as their homes but have great interest and take great pride in trying to preserve for all future generations to appreciate!

Keep up the great work guys and I hope to visit you very soon to see the great progress that you have been making. x

Amy Beth (20/11/2009 at 23:25)

hi my names Amy, i live here and when people come to the freedom project, they are free to do what they want, their not made to live by rules they normally have to to fit in with society, we accpet people for who they are and we dont judge people. were not disscrinative we are protecting a building and we are stopping kids from causing fire, faling down traps and hole, waisting fire fighters time and people recking the place, it is our home and were keeping it tydy we respect the place were we are and each other. AND please tell me why having a job and being in a sqaut is relevant, were not asking you for money and begging on the streets as one person reffered to us as being tramps, were not taking your taxes by being on benefits when the Countrys in such a bad way and we ARE using our brains and making our own our own living by creating are own home.

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