“The air used to be clean and the sex used to be dirty. Now it is the other way around. Soho has lost its heart” - Sebastian Horsley, artist

Soho has always been defined by its rebellious, devil-may-care attitude and its alternative social history, but there is an increasing pressure for it to become another homogeneous part of London, with high street chains. There are some that welcome a safer, more inclusive Soho but to others it is no longer the home of hedonism and hidden pleasures. Where there was darkness, there is now light.

Developers, architects, members' clubs, residents and campaigners are all fighting for the soul of Soho but who will be victorious? If Soho is seen to be ‘born again’ where did the soul go? Can it reincarnate in spaces and architecture that we least expect: the basement of a franchise, the upstairs of a vape shop, the corner of a private room, the office of an entrepreneur, the toilets of a casino, or, up on the rooftops, about to fly off forever?

Speakers:

Herbert Wright, writer & journalist (Chair)
Katrina Larkin, Fora
Charlotte Skene Catling, Skene Catling De La Pena
Russell Potter, SODA
Darren Coffield, artist & writer

On the night….