The Guardian has now paused work on its creative space planned for the Goods Shed next to Waitrose according to Event Magazine who have a full piece on it. Due to open in Autumn this year the space was always one of the stranger ideas for the Guardian, not least because it already occupies offices built on top of an errr state of the art creative space. And indeed such is the extent of remote working it’s not like there isn’t space among the journalists. In an optimistic piece in 2014 the Guardian said of it’s aspiration to be..
‘….A platform for fearless quality journalism which brings to life these abstract notions of the public realm in experiences of debate, discussion, sharing of ideas and learning; in print, online – and now, live. This is our vision: around the world, the Guardian will host and create the forums and opportunities that bring people together; to explore, debate and shape the vital intimate and global issues of our age. From a renovated train station in King’s Cross to pop-ups in far flung global cities, we’re building platforms for Guardian readers – a bold response to the disintegrating fabric of our public realm.’
Maybe it was was all just a ploy to get a better rate for their conferences and events in the basement. Now under new management the Guardian seems to have the whole concept under review. But there’s also an old and new media thing – as this news broke, Google’s application for yet more offices in Kings Cross goes to Camden council, more on that shortly.
Nonetheless a modern public space that was more than just space as it were would be a good thing to have – not sure if the economics for it stack up though. Perhaps the Kings Cross Central people can get it to fly with someone else – Google perhaps?
I prefer a trip to the pub if I want ‘to explore, debate … the vital intimate and global issues of our age’. Or at least, I did. Difficult to find a pub around here these days where it’s possible to discuss anything over the inevitable ear-splitting music.
The Guardian long ago ceased to be my newspaper of choice (in fact, I don’t have a newspaper of choice), due to it being full of vapid lifestyle articles and neoliberal bollocks.
A neighbour and I went to one of their events in Kings Place. The journalists hosting the event could barely be bothered to hide their dissatisfaction at having to be there in the first place, and the discussion that took place was banal. We then went to the pub and spent the rest of the evening having an argument with two UKIP supporters. This was by far the more enjoyable part of our evening, as well as being free to attend.