This website is about the history of Nelson Square, an area currently surrounded by constant change. A river of money is running through Bankside and North Southwark and threatens to displace the long-standing communities that have lived here.

On Blackfriars Road, adjacent to Nelson Square, stands Linden Homes project “The Residence”. It was built in 2014 on land owned by Southwark Council which then had garages on it. When the garages were being demolished, the locals discovered that at least 15 people were living in those garages, many of them workers in local restaurants. A London rent was far beyond their means. The flats that replaced the garages now fetch around £1m or more as do most of those being built in this area. Many others in this area are luxury flats priced in the millions.

Private rents follow the same pattern. A flat in Nelson Square now costs £28,000…