Artists 'shell-shocked' over early eviction notice

A group of artists said they were "shell-shocked" after facing eviction from their studios a month earlier than expected.

Anglia Square was bought by Norwich City Council in December. Gildengate House in the square is occupied by 85 artists who pay up to £110 per month to rent the space.

Before Christmas they were handed a three-month eviction notice and on Saturday were given the news they would need to leave by 28 February.

A spokesperson for Norwich City Council, said: "It is crucial that we continue to move at pace and redevelop Anglia Square and deliver about 1,100 new homes, jobs and new retail and leisure facilities for the benefit of the people of Norwich."

Outpost moved into the space in 2010 and has grown to almost 100 artists, including Dr Mark Wilsher, who has been there since the beginning.

He said he was now looking at putting his work into storage.

"We always knew it was temporary. When we moved in we were given three or four years originally and told it would probably be developed after that," he said.

"It's been great to have it for all this time... It's going to be really hard to replace... I feel like we've been part of the whole regeneration."

The contents of Kirstin Leigh's studio is about to be "filtered down" to the confines of a tiny desk in a back bedroom.

She said: "When lockdown came about, the studios remained open because they were so essential to people's livelihoods and the same for me. It was a complete sanctuary to come to when everything else was uncertain.

"Having this community, this building, this space meant everything."

The Board of Trustees of Outpost said: "Moving forward, we are looking at ways to bridge the income gap... alongside liasing with Norwich City Council and other external Stakeholders about future opportunities."

Norwich City Council said officers had carried out an inspection at the site and associated buildings and had offered artists support in the move.

A spokesperson said: "They found significant compliance risks affecting the safety and wellbeing of both the occupiers and visitors, to Gildengate House. As a result, we have been left with no alternative but to serve notice earlier than we envisaged."

It said it would support artists including a relocation to Carrow House as a temporary space.

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