Battle over Africa Centre sale - future of King Street’s historic anti-apartheid hub in the balance

Published: 24 June 2011
by JOSH LOEB

TRUSTEES of the Africa Centre are to consider 11th-hour plans that could prevent the historic building being sold off. 

Writers, film-makers and diplomats descended on offices in the City where members of the cultural centre voted through plans to sell the 125-year leasehold on the Covent Garden building, which was a hub in the anti-apartheid struggle. 

A spokesman for the King Street centre’s trustees said members had voted “two-to-one at least” in favour of the sale but had resolved to consider “any reasonable offer”, including a last-minute bid put forward by a consortium of anonymous African benefactors.

A spokesman for campaign group Save the Africa Centre said that the vote had been a “victory” for figures including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and London Mayor Boris Johnson, who had called for greater consultation over any sale.

He added: “We are calling for a 12-month pause in the process of the sale to allow the trustees to consult properly on the decision to sell 38 King Street, outline their vision and consider the various alternatives including offers from several high-net worth African individuals to develop 38 King Street for the 21st century.’’

The Africa Centre was gifted by the Catholic church in the 1960s to the people of Africa and its diaspora, but trustees say they have no choice but to sell up because of the cost of maintaining the site. Capitals & Counties (Capco), which owns swathes of property in Covent Garden, is keen to acquire the building.

On Monday about 40 activists including legendary club promoter Wala Danga gathered in the Wine Tun bar in Cannon Street where, for around four hours, they held placards and made speeches.

Zimbabwean political activist George Shire told the crowd: “We don’t know whether these guys are going to continue [with the sale], but whether they continue or not, I think we have galvanised ourselves to the point where we cannot go back. The time has come for us friends of Africa and Africans to say that in London, where the history of Africa was shaped, we must stand up. This is especially for the young people. We will let them down if we cannot pick this up and have a successful centre once again.”  

Meanwhile, in offices directly above the bar, Africa Centre members including the high commissioner of Botswana and deputy high commissioner of Tanzania debated the pros and cons of the sale in private.

A spokeswoman for Capco said: “We are in discussions with the Africa Centre to acquire the leasehold of their building on 38 King Street, the Africa Centre would retain the freehold. As major stakeholders in Covent Garden, we are interested in property across the area. Clearly, any decision on the sale rests with the board of trustees of the Africa Centre.”

A spokesman for the centre said: “We are considering all offers and were always going to be considering all offers. This is an exciting time for the Africa Centre. Obviously people are very attached to King Street and that has been the basis of submissions [from the Save the Africa Centre campaign] but that is a minority view.”