Under the shadow of Shoreditch’s luxury Art’otel, Mark Richardson reflects on his 12 hour walk in search of shelter. Despite his efforts, he’s raised only 41p, far short of the £12.90 he needs for a bed
Towering behind him, the luxury Art’otel charges up to £1000 per night for a room. It features Banksy murals that once protested the inequality that Mark now represents.
Hackney, the borough home to the Art’otel, is battling a severe homelessness crisis. Over 3,000 families, including 4,000 children, are affected with rents and house prices rising faster here than any other part of London.
According to a report in the Hackney Citizen, Councillor Robert Chapman stated, “If homelessness continues to worsen, the Town Hall may need to apply for a government bailout – as 19 other councils did earlier this year.”
Preserved during the hotel’s 2018 construction, these Banksy murals were once statements against capitalism. Now, they serve as part of the hotel’s brand, attracting guests willing to pay a premium for the experience of luxury infused with art.
The hotel declined to comment on its engagement with social causes in Hackney, but the glaring contrast between its exclusivity and Banksy’s anti-capitalist message highlights the growing tensions of Shoreditch’s gentrification.
Has the art that once demanded change become a symbol of the forces it sought to challenge, or does it still stand as a defiant symbol of the deepening divide?
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