Exclusive: Asif Aziz's Criterion Capital hoped to replace hundreds of tenants with more lucrative temporary accommodation. That plan has been shelved – for now.
I already thought the annual subscription was money well spent, but that's amplified tenfold (at least) by knowing that it's been spent on something like this. Thank you.
Thanks Angus. Pretty much the only costs are staff wages, travel for stories, and photographers/illustrators. Unlike lots of other outlets there’s no investors wanting returns and no legacy overheads. Every time more paying subscribers come in I try to do more ambitious reporting with the extra cash. It’s a pretty simple business - if you’re able to employ more good journalists and let them spend time reporting, you get more stories.
Thanks Jim. As you say, not rocket science. It's a pity that more of the established publishers couldn't manage to take such a straightforward and uncomplicated view. I've been involved in the same industry for knocking on 35 years and have always firmly believed that the quality of the work and the integrity that underlies it are the key ingredients. If those are in place, you at least are creating a product that people are potentially likely to value highly enough to be willing to pay for. Making sure enough people who would be willing to pay for it are able to find it is the tricky part, I guess, and has always been the bit I've never been able to understand enough to do myself - hence still being a freelance and trusting in publishers, with their experience and understanding of the commercial marketplace, to do what's necessary to make the whole thing work. So it's inspiring to see you putting the basic theory into practice, and succeeding both as a business and as a force for good generally. More power to you and keep up the excellent work.
Really scummy behaviour from Criterion though, even so - getting people to record a “I am not under pressure” video? Even when they know they’re in the wrong, they can’t resist trying to manipulate the situation. I expect we’ll be seeing a press release with a load of these forced statements as Criterion (ludicrously) try to pretend they were never going to evict anyone! Who do they think they’re fooling?
Bravo! I’m part of the group still working to reinstate community facilities on the site of the former Central YMCA. Our contempt for the trustees and senior leadership of Central YMCA in selling the world’s first YMCA to Criterion Capital grows with everything we learn about Aziz and his operations. We hope we can add to this story in the coming months.
Excellent - though I can’t help wondering (and I’m a khan loyalist!) how they didn’t know this was happening before you published. Anyhow this is superb news. Good work!
Bravo. You have done a great service to a lot of vulnerable people.
Also credit to Khan for responding promptly. Perhaps they can find a better sponsor for the lights next year. Or even better stop worrying about the rightwing press and use public funds.
What fantastic work from your and your small team. I echo what others are saying about the annual subscription fee being money well spent. This is why we need effective, impartial local media. Thank you.
Polly just kept going, working way over hours to nail the facts on the ground. She’s my only full time reporter and she’s a trooper.
And thanks Sabrina you for being a paying subscriber - you directly funded the cost of her running around London.
That said, none of this is possible without the tenants in this piece who answered our calls and the sources who trust us to tell these stories. If you’re reading this, you know who you are.
And we’ll be keeping an eye on the buildings to make sure the evictions really are halted and not just paused pending the media losing interest.
Not only good work, but I hope that it will motivate the rest of the folks in journalism to do similar things, local, the good fight. Proud of you, Jim, really proud.
I already thought the annual subscription was money well spent, but that's amplified tenfold (at least) by knowing that it's been spent on something like this. Thank you.
Thanks Angus. Pretty much the only costs are staff wages, travel for stories, and photographers/illustrators. Unlike lots of other outlets there’s no investors wanting returns and no legacy overheads. Every time more paying subscribers come in I try to do more ambitious reporting with the extra cash. It’s a pretty simple business - if you’re able to employ more good journalists and let them spend time reporting, you get more stories.
Thanks Jim. As you say, not rocket science. It's a pity that more of the established publishers couldn't manage to take such a straightforward and uncomplicated view. I've been involved in the same industry for knocking on 35 years and have always firmly believed that the quality of the work and the integrity that underlies it are the key ingredients. If those are in place, you at least are creating a product that people are potentially likely to value highly enough to be willing to pay for. Making sure enough people who would be willing to pay for it are able to find it is the tricky part, I guess, and has always been the bit I've never been able to understand enough to do myself - hence still being a freelance and trusting in publishers, with their experience and understanding of the commercial marketplace, to do what's necessary to make the whole thing work. So it's inspiring to see you putting the basic theory into practice, and succeeding both as a business and as a force for good generally. More power to you and keep up the excellent work.
You are what London needs - a crusading champion against corruption and exploitation. Every Londoner owes you all a great debt of gratitude.
Bl00dy brilliant - well done
Jim, Polly, Cormac, absolutely brilliant. Hats off to you.
Really scummy behaviour from Criterion though, even so - getting people to record a “I am not under pressure” video? Even when they know they’re in the wrong, they can’t resist trying to manipulate the situation. I expect we’ll be seeing a press release with a load of these forced statements as Criterion (ludicrously) try to pretend they were never going to evict anyone! Who do they think they’re fooling?
Very much seems like a gaslighting strategy. Ugh!
Bravo! I’m part of the group still working to reinstate community facilities on the site of the former Central YMCA. Our contempt for the trustees and senior leadership of Central YMCA in selling the world’s first YMCA to Criterion Capital grows with everything we learn about Aziz and his operations. We hope we can add to this story in the coming months.
Excellent - though I can’t help wondering (and I’m a khan loyalist!) how they didn’t know this was happening before you published. Anyhow this is superb news. Good work!
Amazing! Echoing the comments here, you are showing the true value of journalism. Very proud to be supporting work like this!
Amazing work, very proud subscriber this morning!
Bravo. You have done a great service to a lot of vulnerable people.
Also credit to Khan for responding promptly. Perhaps they can find a better sponsor for the lights next year. Or even better stop worrying about the rightwing press and use public funds.
What fantastic work from your and your small team. I echo what others are saying about the annual subscription fee being money well spent. This is why we need effective, impartial local media. Thank you.
Incredible work guys!! And shoutout to Polly for doing the legwork to find the scale of the issue!
Polly just kept going, working way over hours to nail the facts on the ground. She’s my only full time reporter and she’s a trooper.
And thanks Sabrina you for being a paying subscriber - you directly funded the cost of her running around London.
That said, none of this is possible without the tenants in this piece who answered our calls and the sources who trust us to tell these stories. If you’re reading this, you know who you are.
And we’ll be keeping an eye on the buildings to make sure the evictions really are halted and not just paused pending the media losing interest.
Speechless with admiration. My subscription was the best investment I could have made.
Bravo!
Fantastic result, and I'm proud my subscription is a small part of something so important.
But don't let up. Companies like this trend to revert to type when the spotlight moves on!
Not only good work, but I hope that it will motivate the rest of the folks in journalism to do similar things, local, the good fight. Proud of you, Jim, really proud.