Date: 20th June 2019

The Justice 4 Grenfell campaign welcomes that the venue for the Grenfell Inquiry has now been changed. Bereaved Families and survivors have consistently asked for a change of venue; citing the location and environment of the Holborn Bars building as problematic for many reasons.

The location was too far from North Kensington which caused difficulties in travel to and from the venue, heavily impacting on those with child care responsibilities; those with disabilities and those who didn’t wish to travel on the underground. The venue also offered little or no natural day light, and the room where the proceedings took place was packed and confined, adding to the distress of those attending.

This was pointed out at the very beginning. Their objections to the venue have now been heard. However one cannot avoid the elephant in the room that this is another issue in a long list of others where bereaved families, survivors and residents have had to fight to be heard and then had to wait for months for an answer or change. All during a time when individuals and families were already traumatised and in mourning; this pattern of jettisoning at whim and tardy behaviour we hope does not continue and that the voices of those most impacted will be heard, respected and attended to swiftly.

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