After being served court papers from the alleged landlords of the property, Royds Catering, members of the squat appeared in front of a judge at Bradford County Court on 29th September. Representing themselves armed with external legal advice, they presented their defence. With the landlords failing to appear, the squatters reigned victorious, able to remain in the former grocers for the foreseeable future.
Hebden Disinfo Squat are an autonomous squat and social centre in the heart of Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. Running community kitchens, a range of events, including film screenings and open mic nights, and workshops on a variety of subjects out of the former Old William Holt Greengrocers.
A resident at the squat, who wishes to remain anonymous, said ‘we will carry on continuing to provide a free and accessible community asset and also a home for multiple people in an otherwise empty building.’ They added that the ball is in the court of the landlords in regard to the longevity of Hebden Disinfo Squat.
With mixed reviews from local residents, Josephine Fisher showed her support for the work the squat are doing within the community. ‘I’ve been to the open mic a couple of times and I think that they’re doing some really interesting stuff. I like that they’re distributing to the local community. I do think the boards are a bit of an eye sore though’
The future of Hebden Disinfo Squat remains uncertain but they are going ahead as usual continuing to run their free library and clothes distribution alongside their open mic night each Tuesday among other impromptu events they host. After trying to contact the alleged landlords of the property, they have refused to comment.
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