Latin Americans in London: communities under pressure from urban regeneration and displacement

Two important spaces for Latin Americans in London are currently under threat and in this talk we will hear the first-hand experience of academics and campaigners to protect and save them from real estate developments that would price them out. There are around 145,000 Latin Americans living in London and until recently this community has been relatively invisible amongst the very diverse population of London.

Two spaces in particular have become hubs for Latin Americans in London: The Elephant and Castle shopping centre in Southwark and the Seven Sisters market (also known as Pueblito Paisa) in Haringey. These are commercial spaces where Latin American businesses have become the majority and to which other Latin Americans from London and beyond travel and visit to buy specialist products, eat, meet friends and generally socialise. But these both spaces are part of areas in London which are undergoing significant transformation with private developers and local authorities proposing plans that would potentially displace latin American businesses away from these areas as land values go up; This would in turn disrupt the community that has formed around them which is generally constituted of low income migrants in precarious situations . In many cases, the Latin American traders are refugees who were displaced from conflict areas in Latin American and are now experiencing new forms of urban displacement in London.

The talk will highlight in particular the strong community-led campaigns that have emerged both in Seven Sisters and Elephant and Castle to design redevelopment plans that put the these vulnerable communities at heart.

Open to the public, all welcome, no need to book.