Boris Johnson today tried to show he is in tune with 'Save Soho' campaigners battling developers - by singing along with them in the street.
The Mayor of London joined in a tune written by Save Soho campaigner Tim Arnold called ‘Don’t go Changing Soho’, with the lyrics: “They won’t know what’s hit us when it’s gone.”
Mr Johnson met campaigners outside Madame Jojo’s cabaret club earlier today, which had its license revoked by Westminster Council last year.
Save Soho campaigners say they are also concerned property developers are destroying the creativity of the area and have launched a campaign to keep it alive, backed by the likes of Stephen Fry, Benedict Cumberbatch and Idris Elba.
Mr Johnson said: “The crucial thing is that local councils such as Westminster have got to be given back the power to stop businesses being made over to residential property.
“And it’s very damaging to the interests of a vibrant part of London economy like London, it is why people come to visit London. You have got the birth place of rock and roll just around the corner.
“This is integral to the cultural life of our city. We can’t have it pasteurised, sanitised, homogenised -all the activity, the life, driven out of it by conversion to snazzy residential properties. That is not the way forward for London.”
Mr Arnold, a contestant on The Voice, said: “I think Boris has got a rock and roll streak to him he is certainly very Soho. People who come into Soho are not forgettable, and Boris Johnson is not someone who is forgettable.”
