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THREAD: Cardiff Bay is a product of racism, and is a bastion of white supremacy in the Built Environment. If you live, visit and enjoy the Bay it’s important to understand this racism in detail whilst enjoying and living in this space... 1/16
…Cardiff Bay was originally called Tiger Bay and its history as the oldest and most diverse multicultural community in Wales is well documented with over 50 nationalities being present in the area as early as the late 1800s which included a large black community… 2/16
…The area had a reputation (but what working-class community doesn’t?), however, it certainly had a strong sense of community with racial, ethnic, religious and ecumenical harmony between everyone… 3/16
…However, people weren’t too keen about this and the area was often painted in an unreasonable negative light for holding the Red Light District of the city and being a violent crime hotspot… But the area carried on and the community was happy, until the 1960s... 4/16
...Two key events here: Containerisation and ‘Slum’ Clearance. Containerisation changed cities around the world for good with substantial drops in traditional port traffic. This impacted Cardiff and with the decline in coal traffic, mass unemployment took hold in Tiger Bay...5
At the same the housing stock in Tiger Bay was considered unfit and earmarked for demolition. The urban decline decimated the community, but it remained strong and diverse as ever until the in the 1980s Thatcher came along with the much feared Development Corporations... 6/16
Tiger Bay was selected for a DC and outside developers came in to create a ‘world class waterfront’ in Tiger Bay, and set out their objectives. THE ISSUE: the original predominantly Black Tiger Bay community was not mentioned in these objectives... 7/16
The developers decided that Tiger Bay was not a name they wanted to be associated with, because of its association with “exoticism, vice, miscegenation and danger.” Yes, that’s right they renamed it to Cardiff Bay because of “miscegenation” and “exoticism”… 8/16
…If this wasn’t enough the Corporation spent £203m on the barrage people love to take selfies on, and run across, and £22m on marketing which Cardiff Council removed shortly after it was abolished. But only £14m was spent on the original community… 9/16
...Furthermore, the new developments around the Bay were segregated by railway lines and roads to the original Butetown and Grangetown communities – with wealthy Whites on one side and poor Black/Asian community on the other as seen below… 10/16
...This segregation continues to the present day and you only have to look at either side of the Cardiff Bay Brach Railway Line to see the complete disparities in investment in predominantly Black/Asian communities to the wealthy White community that moved in… 11/16
...Whilst people who live and visit in the Bay cannot change the past, it is important that they should recognise it and the existence of structural racism that exists in the Bay today when visiting. People should acknowledge the pain, suffering and trauma imposed... 12/16
...on Black, Asian, Minority communities brought about by regeneration when enjoying these spaces today. Other examples of this happening to other communities include LGBT+, Sex Workers and Socioeconomically deprived groups. It is not a coincidence that wealthy white...13/16
...neighbourhoods tend to be protected and don't have the presence of large regeneration schemes/developments that cause gentrification. These developers occur to build capital for the wealthy elite at the expense of deprived, unskilled and often voiceless communities...14/16
...Black Lives Matter and we need to do more to recognise the role of racism in all aspects of society including the built environment. Built Environment professionals need to do more to stand up for the vulnerable and protect them from greedy developers...15/16
... and we should recognise the importance of Public Space in fostering Social Cohesion and acting as a level playing field and enabling the voiceless to be heard whether they are Black, Asian, Trans, Homeless NOT privatising it and handing control to the elite. 16/16
PS. I stole most of the images from online // if you want sources I can send you my dissertation. Huw Thomas is v good on racism in the built environment and Sharon Zukin is on point when it comes to explaining how landscapes are transformed through exploitation.
And I should mention that 98% of the original Tiger Bay community viewed regeneration as useless and not beinging any benefits to them, whilst CBDC only spent £14m after the millennium commission forced them too.
I note (a different) @huwthomas_Wales made a thread about an army museum in the Bay. Perhaps, he could read this thread and consider the site to celebrate the rich, diverse history / community of the area following the closure of the Butetown History & Arts Centre.
This thread has taken off, please support @TigerBayWorld in preserving this heritage and think of black and other minority communities when you hear about planning consultations and share your views. Also, shout out to Cardiff Uni GEOPLAN who teach this to their students
Note: A lot of people are telling me who live there that they refer to it as the Docks - apologies I just used stuff from books ect. And also this isn’t the entire Cardiff Bay regen story (I don’t know it all and would need 80000 words) I’m just trying to point out the racisim.
