Richard Stubbs returns to the Carpenters’ Estate where the mood is far from festive

Carpenters Estate in Stratford (LDRS image)

Last month Newham Voices reported that the Carpenters Estate Foodbank, which has been running since 2007, was facing eviction by the Council-owned Populo Living in November.

On the deadline for eviction we called Tee Fabikun, who runs the service, to see if the bailiffs had arrived. Tee said that following the story being aired on ITV News a postponement had been granted.

I visited on 18 November and feared Tee had been wrong as the Centre was surrounded by hoardings. However, the back way in was open and the building was packed with people. Some 80 people had tickets for food parcels and were sitting around tables in the community hall chatting, while many volunteers packed food, managed security and talked to people about their requirements.

I interviewed Tee in what used to be the computer training suite she had established. I’ve known Tee since 2001, when she was Chair of the Tenant Management Organisation (TMO) that ran the estate.

We worked with others to raise funds for what became the most advanced interactive TV service in the UK. One of the programs was about the Council’s imminent plans to redevelop the estate, yet 20 years later plans are still being talked about and a once thriving community has been scattered as people were decanted and many properties have been left vacant for years.

Tee said that they had been given consent to stay until their Christmas party on 2 December but after that they had no alternative but to move. The foodbank and café have been offered what is referred to by Populo as a “purpose-designed foodbank” which turns out to be four connected portacabins.

There is no conceivable way that what I saw could be carried out in these. I asked Tee whether there was any possibility of them returning to their current building once it had been redeveloped. She said that when the Tenant Management Organisation ran the estate its workers and the community shared the large hall and kitchen. She saw no reason why Populo staff couldn’t do the same thing, but this option has not been offered.

The volunteers do a lot more than run the foodbank. They provide support for people in nearby residential homes including educational classes. All these activities are at risk. Eileen, another volunteer, who has been a tenant on the estate for 27 years, said it had been a lovely community where everyone knew everybody, but most had been made to go.

She felt that although residents had been told about the plans for the estate they hadn’t been able to influence them, to just vote yes or no. Finally I talked to Warren, a tenant and volunteer, who moved to the estate 28 years ago. He got involved in the residents’ group and became its Chair around 2012.

At that time residents simply wanted refurbishment of the existing properties and the relevant Council officer agreed this was practical, but the mayor at the time saw redevelopment as better and insisted on this.

I asked how he saw the consultation of residents on development plans. He said that though there had been the appearance of this it had no practical effect.

Warren felt that part of the aim was to gain financial benefit from gentrification of the area, and he asked how tenants should feel when the first development that Populo does on the estate is to build brand new offices for its staff and kick out one of the best community projects on the estate. He feared that the organisation may not survive the move.

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