The gentrification of Elephant and Castle has and continues to be a violent decades long process. Thousands of Southwark's residents have been directly impacted as a result of the plans to "regenerate", homes, businesses and communities torn apart.
For years the Heygate was left to be run down to fuel the "sink estate" narrative, pushed by David Cameron, eventually it was decanted and through 2011 - 2014 demolished. Thousands of residents lives turned upside down, leaseholders forced to move outside of Southwark and promises that residents could live on the new builds were broken. 1214 Council Homes were demolished and replaced with private unaffordable housing.
This violence has now been extended to directly impact shop holders in the shopping centre through the demolition of the centre.