Southbank Skateboarding

I had meetings in London today and took the opportunity to look in at an iconic London location.This is the mecca for skateboarders in the undercroft of the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the Southbank of the Thames in Central London. It is right next to the Royal Festival Hall and has been drawing skateboarders since the 1970s. It was also a great attraction for graffiti artists and developed organically for both activities over the years,  becoming quite a tourist attraction in the meantime. It was threatened with closure in 2013 when the Southbank Centre planned to enclose the undercroft as retail space. There was a huge public outcry which led to the space being saved and, indeed,  extended for skateboarders' use.