Mill Road Social Centre 163 – 167 Mill Road, Cambridge, CB1 3AN
Welcome the website of the Mill Road Social Centre. The centre was squatted on Tuesday 20 May 2008, and in a matter of days the site of the former Wilco store was transformed from a dark and dank building to a bright and cheerful space. Over the coming days and weeks there will be an exciting range of workshops, film screenings, sporting competitions, open mikes and art events.
The space is for the use of the whole communities, so come and visit us on Cambridge’s Mill Road, and let us know if you have any exciting ideas. Or you can just swing by for a cup of tea or coffee…
Mill Road Social Centre 
14 comments
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24 May 2008 at 10:57 pm
Katie
I really enjoyed the Tango lesson!!!
27 May 2008 at 5:36 pm
Wordy
I applaud the use you’re making of the space. Shame that it’ll take you 10 or 12 years to claim squatters rights! I fear Tesco may have their way before then, but let’s hope not.
One small point, it should be “the whole community”, not “the whole communities” on the news story and welcome page.
28 May 2008 at 10:30 am
bob N
Well done everyone,I congradulate you all for your enterprise in using an empty building for the locals .
brilliant. BOB N
28 May 2008 at 2:41 pm
TRACEY
well i take my hat off to you all,i think its agreat idea what you are all doing , you are all helping the area, and so what the building was empty you are only making good of something for a while as you no you will be moved on. and if you make a differents to just one persons life having a drop in then good work. and as for tom making comment have you asked these people if thay work, and how do you no if thay are on the dole, you dont no any of the above you are just making horrid remarks about people that you no nothing about and are doing good for mill road,and the people. i no some of these people do work and have homes .so go down there and chat to them im sure you will feel different when you talk to this lovely bunch, go on thay dont bite, give it a go you will have fun xdon t judge be fore you meet.
28 May 2008 at 2:45 pm
RogerRoger
Great! Much more fun than shopping in your Newmarket Rd store!
28 May 2008 at 5:42 pm
annie
Good for you. I’ll be in for a cuppa when I’m over that way (as long as its not Tesco coffee!)
29 May 2008 at 2:24 am
J
Thank you Mark. Thank you for what you are doing with the site and thank you for not taking any crap from people like Rod and Tom.
29 May 2008 at 7:51 am
john
this place is a great idea and i have known mark all his life he has a job and he has many places he can live
and i am sure the others do too tescos is pointless down mill road spice gate is open until stupid o’clock as is a few other places along there and coop which has been there for many years covers all you need until 10pm
so while this stops tesco moving in and gives people a place to go and enjoy themselves let is be and i even had this discussion with a passenger on my bus on Wednesday and i would do it again
and all those who are saying stop squatting etc etc try going out to enjoy yourself and even if you don’t go here go find somewhere like it
IF YOU CAN FIND A PLACE LIKE IT!!!
john
29 May 2008 at 10:38 am
Claire
Well done guys – why not invite BBC Cambridge or the radio stations to join you for a bit? Get them a pair of skates and get a debate going?
Also invite the Mayor…
Will try and pop in when I am in Cambridge next… I used to live on Mill Road and I agree that Tescos doesn’t suit the diverse and lively community and shopping opportunities – it is just a way for the Council to justify keeping shoprates high, because they’ll have found someone who can afford it! Next it’ll be Next…. and then a whole road of look-a-like outlets supporting dodgy child slavery and the Chinese economy.
30 May 2008 at 2:15 pm
Sam
great! I used to live in Cambridge, and there was a dearth of community activism while I was there. I applaud you for making the city a more diverse, more interconnected place for the citizenry. Next time I am in the UK, I will stop by and say hello. Best wishes for your bike tour as well.
Oh, that reminds me: you might think of setting up a bike cooperative, for Cambridge’s many cyclists to learn their own repairs, and have access to tools. Just a thought.
Sam (the filthy yank)
1 June 2008 at 1:09 am
nick s
Hi i used to live in cambridge until only a few months ago. take no crap from some of the idiots that have left comments they are just not very nice people that maybe need to get a life. yes i work and don,t claim but thats no reason to judge people. i think its a great idea mill road is a nice area of cambridge and well done and good luck..
4 June 2008 at 11:27 am
Anonymous
How much community outreach work are you doing? The photos seem to imply the ‘Mill Road Social Centre’ is simply an extension of the Arglye St coop. It’s a great idea in principle but you guys have to be aware that you’re only going to attract a small minority of the community by squatting there. If you can do it properly- get funding, get a place with proper facilities, do the health and safety checks, ensure there is proper disabled access – many more people in the community will feel empowered to use the facility.
Good luck
28 July 2008 at 9:56 pm
Irma
Greetings from Estonia. (< sounds like an eurovision)
anyway, you rock! I was there like 5 days maybe? And it really was one of the greates experiences of my life. The idea of this centre is brilliant and realization is more than better. I don’t know if I’m blinded about love of you all or you really do a great job. I think them both.
Really, keep on going!
Hope to visit you again as soon as possible. (read: as soon as i get money to buy the plain tickets)
Irma (also known as Orma or Willie the Wanker)
1 August 2008 at 2:14 pm
Rod Leissle
So you were just a bunch of ne’r do wells after. 19 year olds bleating about nowhere to go. Get a job. Good riddance. Knew it all along. Love from Dafur by the way, Tom.