ONE of the organisers behind Kobani House, a political space set up in a derelict Reading pub, has described the response from residents as "overwhelmingly positive."
READ THE FULL STORY: Reading pub turned into Kurdistan-supporting 'political space'
The Red Lion, in Southampton Street, which was closed in 2015, has been transformed by squatters into 'Kobani House', described on the Facebook page as "a political social centre" in solidarity with "the people and revolutions of Kurdistan."
A spokesperson from the group said: "Kobani House is run on principles of grassroots democracy and women's liberation.
"So far we have been open every day as a space for people to have tea and coffee, read, play board games, chat, play guitar, or just be in a space that doesn’t require payment.
"We have held several workshops and events at Kobani House - a workshop on Democratic Nation, a community discussion, an open mic night where we had 40 people singing along to Bella Ciao and other revolutionary songs."
They added: "We plan on continuing to have social events that anyone can come to, including a free meal on Christmas day, and also political workshops."
The group say that the main reason the space was opened was to highlight the issue of the Turkish invasion of North-East Syria, and that it is now a place for people to come and discuss together.
They hope that through communication and education, they can spread their message.
A spokesperson added: "This is part of our goal at Kobani House - we want to highlight these issues, how they're linked, and how we can take practical steps to solve them.
"So far the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
"We didn't know what the conditions inside the building would be like, and were surprised how dilapidated it was.
"But because of the huge amount of community response, we have not only kept going, but turned it into a warm and welcoming space
"Our events have been well attended and interesting discussions have taken place often, with new friendships formed."
The group hope to stay until January 2020, so that they can continue to host events and make stronger community links between different groups and individuals."
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