Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SiloSE8
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silose8collective/
Email us: [email protected]
Who are we?
Silo SE8 Musicians Collective is a non profit organisation that morphed out of the South East London Musicians Collective (SELMC) in the 1980s.
Founding members Rabbit and The Balloons are still actively involved in the collective whilst other members have come and gone.
Over the years there has been a fairly consistent membership of about 25 musicians. The collective is run by the members on a voluntary basis and no one is paid a salary.
What do we do?
Silo SE8 Musicians Collective offers local musicians a shared studio space in which to practice our instruments, rehearse material and store equipment.
We are active in the local community putting on concerts, reviving the centuries old May Day Jack in the Green Deptford procession and running Skronk, an improvisation night open to all at The Endeavour in Deptford. We have worked with artist Sue Lawes running the “Give us back our Bloomin’ Anchor” campaign and were successful in securing the return of our Deptford High Street landmark.
Silo SE8 members were involved in the organisation of the Fordham Park festivals, as well as performing at them.
We have also been involved in Lewisham People’s Day, Deptford X, Deptford Festival, Party in the Park and Lewisham: London Borough of Culture 2022. We have organised benefit shows for Survivors Poetry, ALD Life and MAD Pride. We supported the visit of the MS Stubnitz from Hamburg, Germany where it is now a permanently moored arts venue. Silo SE8 members have performed in all of these.
What Happened?
In 2019 the management of leases of all railway arches in London were transferred from National Rail to a private company.
In 2020 that company invoked a rent review as per the lease, for all tenants. They increased the rent “in line with market rates”, which was about double what we had been paying previously.
Silo SE8 entered into dialogue with our new landlord requesting a concessionary discount as we are not a commercial entity. These conversations were protracted, partially due to the COVID pandemic. In February 2024 both Silo SE8 and the landlord agreed a new rent at just under a 70% increase. All members are now paying an increased monthly rent.
What we did not expect was that this increase would be backdated to the 2020 rent review date, landing us with a £12,200 bill.
Is that legal?
During negotiations with the new landlord we did seek legal advice.
The lease which we had signed with National Rail includes annual RPI rent increases and rent reviews every six years.
Our new landlord has invoked these clauses.
Backdating the rent increase to the date of the 2020 rent review, unfortunately, is legal.
How can you help?
Please donate as much as you can afford and spread the word.
We have been given until October 2025 to complete paying the backdated rent. This is in addition to the 70% increase in our rent.
We have already raised some money from Bandcamp sales of compilation albums.
We are looking to raise the remaining £10,000 with this Crowdfunder campaign in 12 weeks.
What will we do with the money?
The money received will be used to pay our backdated rent bill.
If we exceed the £10,000 goal then we will build up a fund to be used for the restructuring of our collective into a formal co-operative.
Thank you for your time, we hope that you can help us so that we can continue providing this valuable community asset.
#SaveSiloSE8