It's funny, isn't it, how often derelict buildings at the centre of planning and development disputes mysteriously burn down. The Hotspur Press building in Manchester was already vacant and in a poor state of repair, but has now been largely destroyed by fire.
As this 2021 article by Dani Cole explains, this isn't the first time in the former mill's life that it's been seriously damaged by flames. She traces its rich history from cotton mill to printing press to ramshackle artists' studios to vacancy, neglect and deterioration.
The building's last few years are a textbook tale of gentrification, with a vibrant cultural hub springing up thanks to the location, available space and affordable rent, only for the building to be crowded by sleek modern tower blocks and the artist community ultimately turfed out. Former studio owner Chara Lewis says: "It's happening increasingly that spaces for artists are being pushed into the margins of Manchester, rather than its heart because of the commercialisation of the spaces."
Places like the Hotspur Press building are critical if we want culture to thrive in our cities, and careers in the arts to be both accessible and achievable. Far too many such spaces are left to moulder by owners who just don't give a damn - or, worse, are calculatedly playing a long game.
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