Community Rallies to Save Historic Hackney Building
Cllr Bamble and Cllr Otiende in dialogue with ESEA Community Centre and local residents
A vibrant community-led campaign has been launched to prevent the disposal of 28-32 Ellingfort Road, the former home of the East and South East Asian Community Services (ESEACC), formerly known as Hackney Chinese Community Centre for 40 years. The campaign, known as the London Fields Community Space Campaign (LFCSC), unites local residents, community organisations, and political representatives to protect this vital community asset from being sold off.
A Site of Heritage and Community Value
The building at 28-32 Ellingfort Road has served as a cornerstone for Hackney’s East and Southeast Asian communities. From 1987, ESEACC provided crucial services from the site, including a elderly luncheon club, mental health support, and youth services for a diverse audience, including the Chinese and Vietnamese communities.
The Council’s Proposal and the Community Response
Following the eviction of squatters who occupied the building after HCCS moved out in September 2024, Hackney Council planned to place the property on the market. The proposal to dispose of the building appeared on the agenda for the Cabinet Meeting scheduled for July 20, 2026. It was proposed to authorise the disposal of 28-32 Ellingfort Road and delegate authority to agree on commercial terms and enter into all necessary documentation.
This triggered an immediate community response and the LFCSC, a combination of ESEACC, Tenancy and Residents Associations, the Hackney Society and other community organisations and local residents, launched an intensive email campaign, generating hundreds of emails to Mayor Garbett, new London Fields Ward councillors, and Haggerston councillor of ESEA heritage Charlene Concepcion about the potential sale. Leafletting and a website also helped the campaign receive widespread community and cross-party support from the newly elected Green and Labour councillors, including Cllr Kwame Otiende, who was nominated as the lead councillor to work with residents, and Cllr Anntoinette Bramble of London Fields Ward and Leader of Labour Group.
Holding the Council to Account
The campaign led to the Cabinet acknowledging the strength of community feeling. The LFCSC is now moving to the next stage, building on the Council's decision to pause and consult.
“The loss of each community building is a reduction in communal asset,” stated a representative of the LFCSC. “Our strategy is to stop the site from being sold, offer short-term tenancies to community organisations to put the building into good use and save the Council £2,500 per week in security costs. We will ensure a full consultation with local residents, community groups, and businesses to decide the long-term plan.”
Developing a Viable Community Offer
For the campaign to succeed, LFCSC must now demonstrate to the Council that a community-led option is viable. The strategy requires developing a proposal that:
Involves zero costs to the Council for maintenance.
Generates rental income to be self-sustaining.
Meets community needs and promotes local economic activity.
Secures 21 names as joint applicants for registering the building as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), providing it with additional protection.
A Lesson in Local Democracy
The campaign serves as a powerful example of how community voices can hold public bodies to account. As one campaigner noted, “In a world where money speaks louder, decisive and prompt community action is the weapon of grassroots movements to assert community interest above capital interest.”
The team are now looking for 21 local residents to ensure the centre as an Asset of Community Value. If you can help, please use the QR code on the flyer or email londonfieldscommunityspace@gmail.com
For more information, interviews, or media inquiries, please contact: londonfieldscommunityspace@gmail.com or visit https://londonfieldscommunityspace.netlify.app/
Notes to Editors:
East and Southeast Asian Community Centre (previously Hackney Chinese Community Services): Was founded in 1987 to meet the needs of the local Chinese community. The East and Southeast Asian Community Centre is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee .
Asset of Community Value (ACV): A designation under the Localism Act 2011 that gives community groups a right to bid to buy an asset if it is put up for sale, protecting it from being lost to the community.