Join arms!
Come along to our weekly co-building sessions, to get involved making the new home for Friends of the Joiners Arms in a railway arch. We're building Hackney's newest wheelchair-accessible, community-run LGBTQ+ pub and performance venue at 18 Bohemia Place, Hackney.
Over 2000 of you bought shares to help make this project possible and we want to make sure the community can have a hand in physically creating it too. Every week we'll be opening the site for people to start taking ownership of the space, feed into design decisions so we can make it alongside eachother in conversation, and in community.
What's happening?:
Drop-in sessions, all skill levels welcome - come and learn!
You can expect:
- site induction (fire, health & safety)
It's a live construction site. We'll tailor the activities to support your skill levels and access needs.
- learn about the campaign & future of the space
over 50% of LGBTQ+ spaces closed in London in the past decade. This new space is the result of over a decade of campaigning, fundraising, and now construction by the community!
- pick a task to focus on each week
it will changes each time: could be painting bathrooms, assembling furniture, putting up shelves, demolishing a plasterboard wall, helping with detailed design, picking tunes for the site radio, or sweeping the floor ready to open <3
- snacks and cakes, with gluten free and vegan options. Tea breaks are really important for us and we'll hold conversations about what we're learning and how to support each other.
When:
Every Wednesday until mid-July, 2pm-8pm.
You don't need to stay for the whole time, drop in when you can!
Choose a time slot (2pm or 5pm onwards) so we roughly know when to expect you and manage numbers/ tasks.
Where:
18 Bohemia Place, Hackney, E8 1DU. The site is a live construction site - stay tuned for updates and changes to the schedule.
How to prepare:
Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. Wear protective, closed-toe shoes.
If you have tools you feel confident using, bring them along! Including power tools if you have them - we can provide a PAT tester to make sure they're electrically safe.
We're supplying vegan & gluten free snacks, teas and cakes but extra contributions to the shared table are always welcome. :)
Let us know your experience and access needs so we can prepare.
Accessibility Statement:
18 Bohemia Place is an active building site, with changing site conditions weekly. The landlord is carrying out landscaping and road works along Bohemia Place, as well as construction on neighbouring units, so wheelchair access might not be possible depending on the week. Please let us know in advance your access needs so we can make sure that the site conditions as well as the tasks, are appropriate to welcome you safely.
Getting here:
The Landlord is currently carrying out landscaping construction work to Bohemia Place, the access road to the venue. The road is currently uneven and has site hoarding, temporary surfaces, as well as speedbumps. The entrance from Mare Street is often closed in the daytime (before 4.30pm) to facilitate the Landlord's roadworks, so you might need to approach from Nursery Road, off Morning Lane.
The Nursery Road entrance to Bohemia Place may be gated - wait at the gate until it is safe for you to enter.
You can get here by Bus:
- Hackney Central Station (Stop H, K, J): routes 253, 254, 106, 236, 394, N253.
- Mare Street (Stop T, E, F): routes 30, 38, 48, 55, 106, 236, 242, 253, 254, 276, 394, D6, N38, N55.
Amhurst Road (Stop L, R): routes 30, 56, 236, 253, 276
or by Overground:
- Hackney Central, Mildmay Line, 5mins walk;
- Hackney Downs, Weaver Line, 10 mins walk
It may be possible to park on Bohemia Place outside our unit, with many spaces available after 4.30pm.
Onsite:
There may be other contractors coming in and out of the unit as the landlord is carrying out repair works to the unit.
During the construction works you might expect to hear loud sounds (drilling, hammering) - we will provide ear plugs and covers for protection.
We'll take steps to minimise dust wherever possible, but we'll also provide dust-masks and keep the doors open for ventilation when it can't be avoided.
Toilets:
There are two toilets currently plumbed in on site. We are in the process of building three new ambulant and wheelchair-accessible toilets - but they're not ready yet! This means that the closest wheelchair accessible WC is at Tesco Superstore on Morning Lane, with a RADAR key (320m). We will update this information as the new toilets get plumbed in.
On the day:
We will carry out site inductions to welcome you. You'll learn what to do in case of fire, and how to protect your own health and safety and those around you.
We'll explain a range of different activities and tasks, which will be suitable for a range of skill levels and access needs.
We'll provide snacks and hot drinks, including vegan and gluten free options.
Feel free to arrive/ leave at any time, but please let us know when you leave site so we know you're safe!