Anarchists have always sought to build open social environments – back in 1906 The Workers Friend Club, just down the road from Freedom, became the hub for the anarchist movement of Rudolph Rocker’s day and would regularly hold mass meetings, cultural events and late night weekend dances. Such autonomous spaces developed into the social centres of today.

Social centres are defined as ’self-managed spaces either owned, occupied or leased whereby people can come together to create, conspire, communicate and offers a visible presence in the community where people can engage in radical ideas and events’. We take a look at some of the most enduring.

• Named after local activist Harry Cowley The Cowley Club, Brighton opened its doors in 2003 providing a community base for activists and continues to cover a wide range of activities including vegan cafe, bookshop, bar, venue, English lessons, welfare rights, library, meeting space, office space, fundraising for groups and campaigns.

• Meaning “community place” in Amharic, an Ethiopian language, Kebele Social Centre, Bristol has been going 14 years. Like almost all social centres it is run by volunteers on a not-for-profit basis providing an alternative social space and was prominent in the very successful recent Co-Mutiny event.

• The aim of The Common Place, Leeds was to create a place in the city centre in which together people can enjoy a sense of community, affordable entertainment and food; a non-commercial place to relax, talk, be creative, meet people and find information on political campaigns, issues and actions.

• A former Ukrainian social club the Sumac Centre, Nottingham came into being in 2002 and has remained at the forefront of radical activity in the city ever since. A resource and meeting place for local groups and individuals campaigning for human and animal rights, the environment, and home of the world famous vegan caterers Veggies.

• Founded in 1997 ACE, Edinburgh is at the very heart of radical politics in Scotland maintaining a high level of group activity including Anarchist Federation, Climate Camp Scotland, Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty &Edinburgh Caimants, Edinburgh IWW, and Scottish Radical Library.

• 56a Infoshop, South London is a volunteer-run, 100% unfunded DIY-run social centre in the traditional sense. It’s a resource for local people, campaign groups and projects as well as selling books, zines, music and t-shirts. They have an extensive radical archive of international info with thousands of publications saved over the last 16 years of its existence.

• Along with providing an alternative social space, promoting veganism, and working in an alternative setting (co-op, volunteer-run, organic) the Pogo Café, London also puts on political film showings, benefits, freeschool projects and acoustic gigs, while serving delicious food.

• Built and run by activists from Merseyside Next To No-where social centre, Liverpool is situated in the city centre beneath the bookshop of the same name, with connections in community activism, animal rights, the anti-war movement and anarchist groups it seek to provide resources for people to improve their own lives.

• The daddy of social centres and still going strong after three decades The 1 in 12 Club, Bradford stands as a testament to the hard work, ingenuity and sheer bloody-mindedness of committed radicals.

Addresses:

Cowley Club, 12 London Road, Brighton, BN1 4JA, Kebele Social Centre, 14 Robertson Road, Bristol, BS5 6JY, The Common Place, 23-25 Wharf Street, Leeds LS2 7EQ, Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham NG7 6HX, The Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh (ACE), 17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HA, 56a Infoshop, 56 Crampton Street, London SE17 3AE, Pogo Café, 76 Clarence Road, London E5 8HB, Next to Nowhere, 96 Bold Street, Liverpool, L1 4HY, 1 in 12 Club, 21-23 Albion Street, Bradford, BD1 2LY