…If this historical landmark is lost.

Long Live Southbank

The oldest skate park in the world. A national treasure. To be replaced by a few chain restaurants.
How short sighted.

Dang I remember skating there as a kid.

On a related note – hardly anyone seems to skate any more. Most kids are on skate scooters or BMXs these days it seems.

Yet another example of the transfer of public space into private, corporate hands, by people who know the price of everything, and the value of nothing!

Tragic
Unsurpassed cultural significance within Europe

….insy, winsy bit of exaggeration perhaps?

Grum, I was at my local indoor skate park last weekend for the first time in ages and skaters out numbered scooter/BMX riders 2 to 1..the scooter riders were all under the age of 10 and I was one of only a few BMX riders there. I was surprised too. A couple of years ago you couldn’t move for scooters and 10yrs ago it was in liners, that seems to have completely died

What gets me is how the development guys think that a purpose built place up the road is just as good. Would you replace a 200 year old house with a Barrett house, or a 20 yo single malt with a bottle of bells, as it all whiskey?

Stupid stupid stupid.

I’d agree up to a point except…. as pivotal as it was for men of a certain age with bad knees – any time I’ve passed recently theres been all but **** all happening there.

No reason not to kick up a fuss though. Lets send Edmund Bacon to sort things out

[video]https://vimeo.com/57981966[/video]

EDIT ooh – can you not embed vimeo. OK then clicky

screw youth culture, what we really need is a few more Prets, maybe a Leon and a Costa. there just aren’t enough chain cafes in London.

It will be a real shame if this goes ahead. It’s not like the area is exactly short of restaurants.

Very sad.

Sad news.
I can remember wanting to go there as a kid.
🙂

With a name like Haythornethwaite the South Bank Chairman is really only ever going to be on one side of the argument…

Was shocked to see it significantly reduced in size the last time I was in the UK. Just think of all the taxes the government will get from those juicy retail establishments. They must be licking their lips.

It’s pretty **** ugly though isn’t it.

Seems a shame to lose the skatepark maybe they could have developed something to keep it but is it used a lot still or only when they do a film about the good old days?

Just think of all the taxes the government will get from those juicy retail establishments

Indeed. Companies like Starbucks must contribute hundreds of millions in tax on their massive turnovers and profits.

Oh…. hang on a minute….