What is Gillett Square
Physically, the square is a quiet, off road yet near the town centre, granite open space flanked by jazz bars, cafes, food outlets and a host of other interesting entrepreneurs. A blank canvas. Culturally, the square is people – people from an astonishing range of ages, socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds & beliefs, all sharing the space with each other, to work, to socialise and to play.
The urban area of Dalston is undergoing rapid gentrification and population growth, has no public parks, only 4.22 hectares of open space, a traffic dominated environment and a cramped and hostile pedestrian environment. Hackney Co-operative Developments work with many partners to ensure that Gillett Square is able to offer local people a much-needed refuge and place to feel part of a real community.
Gillett Square provides a vital piece of public realm where it is needed most. As genuinely public space in London reduces, Gillett Square is a unique proposition of a space where you can do anything.
A place to walk through; a place to sit; a place to share; a place to meet; a place to play; a place to see, hear, feel, smell, taste and discover wonderful and incredible things.
HCD and Gillett Square
HCD has long held a particular interest in Gillett Square, having been a key driving force in the partnership that created it as a new public space for London in 2006. Gillett Square is overlooked on two sides by HCD’s largest property, Bradbury Works/Dalston Culture House, and HCD also manages the trading pods directly facing onto the Square.
HCD holds a permanent entertainment license for Gillett Square, and works with local partners to put on a wide range of cultural events, large and small, over the summer months. HCD also provides a PopUp playground three times a week, as well as Zoom, a weekly bike repair project.
HCD’s Gillett Squared project team comprised a Community Organiser, Anja Beinroth, and a Play and Volunteer Co-ordinator, Keyo Yendii, both of whom have been working in Gillett Square for many years and are trusted members of the Gillett Square community. The Gillett Squared project team works closely with local businesses (including tenants of HCD), local community groups, the cultural sector in Hackney and beyond, and the London Borough of Hackney. Our shared aim is to create a welcoming, inclusive community space where interesting things happen and people from different backgrounds can meet, accept each other and achieve good things together – from fixing a child’s bicycle to putting on successful music and art events.
HCD’s work would not be possible without our close co-operative relationships with the Gillett Square user community, our many partners, the support of our funders and a wonderful team of volunteers.
