As widely reported, both through this site and the forum, Toby Shuall and Winstan Whitter have been campaigning to secure the future of the infamous Undercroft area at Southbank. As I type this, the online petition has had exactly 4,293 signatures, prompting a response from Downing Street regarding the governments plans for the area.

Yesterday afternoon, the following email was sent out to the addresses who had signed the petition:

“The Southbank Centre is an independent arts organisation and decisions about the Undercroft are a matter for them. However, the Southbank Centre recognises the importance of the Undercroft in bringing together skateboarders from across the UK and the value that the skateboarding community has brought to many young people and the South Bank area itself. Any activity that engages and develops young people can have a very positive impact on society and the skateboarding community that has grown up around the Undercroft has brought together people from various backgrounds, created a vibrant public space and added real value to the lives of many young people.

The Southbank Centre has said that it has no plans to redevelop the Undercroft used by skateboarders. In fact, they are in close discussions with the skateboarding community about how to improve the current skateboard area and about how the community might become more involved in the Southbank Centre’s artistic programme.”

Good news at last! A massive ‘nice one’ is in order to both Toby and Winstan for raising the issue in the first place! Watch their still amazing film by clicking underneath…