Occupiers take over Swansea's Dolphin Hotel
SQUATTERS who have taken over the Dolphin Hotel in Swansea insist the covert operation to occupy the building was entirely legal.
The group of around 15 activists said they planned to turn the cavernous building into an arts space and café, which they have called the Cwtch Community Centre.
A spokesman for the group, who asked only to be known as "Rev", said the group had rights to enter an empty building as long as they did not cause criminal damage.
He argued they were providing a community service.
"What this area needs is a space for the arts," he said, speaking outside the barricaded building yesterday.
"We plan to open the doors as early as today and we will go from there.
"We are clean and tidy, family friendly and have a strict no drink or drugs policy."
Three members of the group entered through an upstairs window in the early hours of yesterday morning.
At around 5.30am they climbed through a first-floor window using a ladder and let more people in through a fire escape.
At around noon, activity at the entrance to the building attracted council rangers, police, and neighbouring traders.
A policeman, who gave his name as Sergeant James, told the group: "My intention is to come in and make sure you have not caused any criminal damage and do not intend to in the future."
Rev radioed in to people on the inside of the now-locked building but they declined to grant the officer entry.
A council ranger added: "I am concerned about your modus operandi and the way you're doing this. Why did you not go about that in a responsible way and contact the landlord who's paying for this building?"
Quoting section six of the Criminal Law Act 1977, Rev said any attempt to forcefully try to enter the building while the squatters were there was a criminal offence.
"This carries a maximum of six month's imprisonment or a fine of £5,000.
"If they want to serve us with an eviction notice then fine, but we really want to speak to businessmen and traders and tell them what we are doing here."
The building has been empty for two years and the group said they had been monitoring it for some time.
Another member, Jules, said: "We were aware for two weeks the window had been open.
"It changed position several times but we realised it was the wind, rather than anyone inside.
"We chose Sunday night to enter because it was the quietest time."
A spokesman from South Wales Police said: "We have been aware of a number of people who have occupied the former Dolphin Hotel, in Whitewalls, Swansea.
"The situation is being monitored."
A Swansea Council spokesman said a licence would need to be applied for if the group planned to serve food or drink, and added: "This is a matter for the head lessee of the building."
The current tenant of the hotel, a Mr Nangi, was not available for comment.
alex.smith@swwmedia.co.uk
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by hadoken1983
Thursday, March 01 2012, 7:48PM
“Poor Cwtch, in the space of 3 weeks they've been evicted from 3 properties, leaked sewage (and cost traders money) and caused people to spend 1000's of pounds evicting them. While they claim their dole and they've done nothing positive.
These low end anarchists are really living the dream!!
Led by a woman who had a mental breakdown 10 years ago and ended up working in charity shop.
CWTCH are by far the biggest jokes in the squatting world. What next guys, are you going to take over the big apple sand and bucket stall down the mumbles!!!”
by ourgrampa
Friday, February 10 2012, 1:45PM
“My old memories have been shattered I won an award to stay at the Dolphin Hotel as the prize for being a best apprentice at that year 1964 a wonderful lasting experience joining a group of then other young apprentice carpenters and other trades As I am now living in Australia since 1976 and seeing all the horrible things that are happening around the UK ie last year in London and drug problems and in Wales with this issue squatters try getting a job and a life and not protest by using other peoples tragic circumstances and not making lame excuses for your own shortfalls I have worked since the age of 13&1/2 now retired all my children are working two with two jobs all own their own houses and will be paid for soon none have ever been unnemployed so no excuses . tony still Welsh but not as proud unfortunately”
by Maximus19
Thursday, February 09 2012, 11:22AM
“If as they claim, the squatters actions are legal, why did they wait until night-time to climb through and open window?
Oh, how Swansea is laughing at these idiots...”
by dick_e
Thursday, February 09 2012, 10:54AM
“@ Maximus19
How do you know they are white, middle-class brats, whose parents live in Langland and Rhossili?
Can you say you know any of them to make a comment such as that? I think not.
Why do a minority of what I believe to be narrow-minded people with extremist views keep spamming these comments with their lies and nonsense I ask myself?
Take a look at high street - have the squatters been there? No, yet it is deserted and run-down. Maybe people should ask themselves why that is”
by hadoken1977
Thursday, February 09 2012, 10:08AM
“You can tell by the canvas on the window that looks like it was painted by a 5 yr old child that any "ART" they show is going to be the typical new age rubbish.
These people are so fundamentally broken, they crawl through a window at night after watching the joint for days then try and talk like they have a right to be there.
If I had my way I would order the police in with batons and smack them through the window with which they crawled through.
Just last night I see gypsies have removed large limestones and setup camp next to another business on the outskirts of the enterprize zone. These people do this because THERE ARE NO CONSEQUENCES to what they do.
They laugh at the pathetic softly softly approach of a law and try and paly every trick in the book which ends up costing people 1000's to remove them and they'll even play on that as a means for staying there, by implying if you do not let us stay, you'll pay for it.
Society should NEVER EVER give in to that mindset. Whether they are hippes like these, terrorists, gypsies, its the same cancerous, mindset that revolves around exploitation.
Its why these people are always on a minority.”
by Maximus19
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 1:49PM
“The whole of Swansea is laughing at these white, middle-class brats, whose parents live in Langland and Rhossili, and who will leave the squat when the novelty wears off.
Oh, how we are all laughing at you...”
by huwwuh
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 12:50PM
“If it was entirely legal why did they do so at night?”
by Maximus19
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 12:48PM
“by vikingkittenTuesday, February 07 2012, 2:48PM
"To hadoken 1977 a lot of people have mental health problems but that doesn't make them jobless losers, please don't use mental health issues as an insult, you may one day end up suffering from them yourself"
And the squatters have the mental health qualifications to help these people? I don't think so.
As happened at Occupy Brighton (which attracted a lot of people with mental health issues), as soon as the white, middle-class brats at the Dolphin Hotel get fed up with squatting and go back to mummy and daddy in Langland, they won't think twice about cutting-lose anyone with mental health issue”
by vikingkitten
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 2:48PM
“To hadoken 1977 a lot of people have mental health problems but that doesn't make them jobless losers, please don't use mental health issues as an insult, you may one day end up suffering from them yourself”
by Gareth00
Tuesday, February 07 2012, 2:11PM
“This guy claims he is a "graphic designer" I have seen his work and I can tell you that he is not. Just because you attended a one or two lectures at SMU doesn't make you a designer. Have you even got a degree yet? its been over 4 years surely? Why don't you start accepting responsibility for your live and stop making the government and tax payers look after you.
You want to use the space as a gallery?.....If your work was any good you could put it into a real gallery and stop wasting everyone's time. The same goes for your "music" It might be an alcohol free zone now while all you students and job dodger are there, but what about when all the crack heads and dangerous people get in there?
You may have read the section in a law book about squatting and think you can get one over on the judicial system, but don't mistake this as intelligence!!”