When one of London’s most iconic skate spots, the Southbank Undercroft, faced complete demolition a couple of years ago, local skateboarders, BMXers and visual artists united to protect their refuge from caterpillars, wrecking balls, and urban renewal investors. The Southbank is to London’s skateboarding scene what MACBA is to Barcelona’s or the Hauptwache for us in Frankfurt: it’s the birthplace of British skateboarding, a place for art, and a home for people from all walks of life. Thanks to overwhelming support, the Long Live Southbank (LLSB) non-profit organization was able to save the Undercroft from what would have been a total transformation (that, of course, didn’t integrate skateboarding), signing a contract in 2013 with the City of London to protect the Southbank from further threats – and now, it’s imperative to keep the money flowing for renovation purposes. To help their cause, LLSB recently issued a limited clothing collection and a hardcover book. The longsleeve and t-shirt graphics are inspired by Southbank architecture, while the book offers pages upon pages of illustrations, photographs, interviews and history. All proceeds will be donated to the LLSB nonprofit organization to help maintain one of the most legendary spots in skateboarding history. You can buy the LLSB apparel and book both at our web shop and at our store in Frankfurt.
