So long, Soho, I’ve been pushed from place I love

Published: 24 September 2010

• ON October 3 2010, my family – my partner, myself, our 15-year-old daughter and our dog – are leaving Soho.  

After living here for over 16 years, we have been evicted. It’s been a long and hard-fought battle beginning with an eviction notice three years ago which we disputed, then a housing tribunal over an extortionate rent rise which we won, then another eviction notice which we fought in court.   

My partner moved into our flat over a newsagent in Dean Street more than 20 years ago and was led to believe by the well-meaning experts at Westminster Housing that he was an assured tenant. It was on this grounds that we fought and lost. The judge chose to believe our previous landlord, ignoring that we are family, good tenants and long-time Soho residents, and upheld the eviction order.  

The callous behaviour of our current landlord and the delapidated state that he has let the beautiful Grade II-listed building fall into, was also not taken into consideration.

I moved in with my partner 16 years ago.  Our daughter was born here. At each stage of her development we questioned whether Soho was an appropriate place to raise a child. She adored Charing Cross Nursery (now sadly closed), attended the amazing Soho Parish School, spent Saturday mornings at YActive with her local friends, contributed to the Soho Youth Magazine, helped out at St Anne’s Church Fairs. She has had an incredible childhood.

We have loved living in our flat despite the lack of central heating, the dodgy electrics and plumbing, the noise from air-conditioners, clubs and street life. 

We are sad to leave Soho, especially in this way, but it’s impossible for us to stay with ever-increasing private rents in the area.

So far we’ve been unable to secure accommodation through Soho Housing. 

Westminster Housing Options has told us that because we are not unemployed we should move out of Soho as they would only be able to help us if we were claiming benefits. It would seem that Soho is increasingly becoming economically polarised. It will be hard for the Soho community to cling on to being a true neighbourhood.

I moved into Soho with few belongings, I leave with considerably more – my incredible family, boxes of memories and bags of true friendships. 

Thank you, Soho!

Names and address supplied