The Water Lily Centre in Mile End Road has a long (and literally divided) history in Tower Hamlets. Completed in 1927, it was the Wickhams department store until the late 1960s. Architecturally, it was famous for the little house that splits the site (the developers had to build around the house after a family refused to move out).
Last year, after decades of neglect, the site re-opened as the Water Lily Centre. It is owned by Water Lily Properties Ltd, which is owned by a group of 14 businessmen who chose the national flower of Bangladesh, representing peace and love, for their company name.
Sadly, the centre is now becoming a magnet for hate.
Last November, Anjem Choudary tried to stage an event there, but his luck ran out when his cover was blown. I wrote about it here. At the time, the Water Lily told me extremists weren’t welcome.
However, Tower Hamlets seems to be the borough of choice for extremists, with the Water Lily emerging as one of their favourite venues. On May 13, Hizb ut-Tahrir booked an event there. You can see how the Water Lily logo has been covered up in the top left of this photo.
There are more pictures to view on HT’s website here.
HT is an Islamist party that campaigns for the return of the Caliphate. It is banned in a number of countries for its links to terrorism. Indeed, when in Opposition, David Cameron called for HT to be banned in Britain, although no action has since been taken.
If you look carefully on HT’s website, you’ll see an advert for another event next month.
Again, the venue is the Water Lily. I spoke to one of its directors yesterday. He told me the booking had been made by an organisation calling itself ‘Muslim Forum UK’.
He said he was not aware it was in fact HT, but in any case, he would still allow next month’s event to go ahead. He said he and his staff always ask such groups for a list of speakers.
They then check those names with the police to see if they are known terrorists or on a warning list. If the police give the all clear, the Water Lily will let the booking go ahead.
These decisions are taken regardless of the personal views of any particular director, this director said. Business is business, was the thrust of his argument – and who was he, he said, to make a judgement on what might be said at an event on his property?
Well, this particular director is Syed Faruk. He’s a former teacher in Tower Hamlets and he’s also the general secretary of the UK arm of the Awami League, the political party which currently governs Bangladesh.
That is, he’s a senior figure in that party. So what’s that party’s view of HT? Well, it banned HT in Bangladesh in October 2009 over suspected links to terrorism.
In fact, whenever senior Awami League members are themselves hosted at the Water Lily, for example Bangladesh’s Home Minister Sahara Khatun earlier this month, Hizb ut-Tahrir staged their own demonstrations outside.
So, while Mr Faruk’s party bans them in Bangladesh, he’s happy to take their money and help them promote their work here in the UK. What consistency…
Mr Faruk, who is now concerned about the exposure of these links, also confirmed that Tesco is one of his tenants in the Water Lily – there’s a Tesco Express on its ground floor – and that he also takes business bookings from Tower Hamlets council.
Remember how the Troxy in Limehouse decided to cancel bookings to extremist speakers when the council threatened to withdraw its own business? I wonder if the same will happen here. After all, the council has already made plain its view of Hizb ut-Tahrir. In 2008, under Denise Jones’s leadership, it withheld some Preventing Violent Extremism money from the Cordoba Foundation after I and Tory Councillor Tim Archer revealed it was being used to give a platform to Hizb speakers.
Has the Water Lily signed up to the No Place for Hate campaign? Will the council continue to spend our money there?
ps The Water Lily accepted another booking last Thursday for a group called ‘Bangladeshi Muslims in the UK’. More than 500 attended. I understand it was a collection of groups, including Jamaat e Islami figures.
Trial by Jeory 
Did you copy this from Harry’s Place Ted? Not running out of stories I hope.
No.
Harry must be getting desperate!
Harry’s Place has recently been described by Sunny Hundal as a ” bunch of inbred disease-ridden rats” based on a recent blog prowing on the site crowing over the death of Brian Haw, the famous Parliament Square peace protestor.
http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/13174
Sunny Hundal is of course entitled to his opinion but if the links to Brian Haw are followed on Youtube he is quite clearly a conspiracy theorist in relation to his opinions about 9/11 and of course, so it seems, his trip to Germany was paid for by David Icke.
I am not one for guilt by association but people who believe that 9/11 was an inside job and are prepared to take money from a person who believes that the world is run by snakes in human form and that the Queen is responsible for all of the illicit drugs in the world then there is something not quite right there.
If, in any of the countries that Brian Haw defends, he tried to carry out the kind of protest which he was able to sustain for ten years in ours, he would have been murdered by the state.
Well reported Ted. Another piece of evidence of the ever growing muslim extremism in LBTH. BTW how do representatives of a religion so seeped in sexism, racism, homophobia, coming from homelands where their law can decree that homosexuality is punishable by death, realistically sign up to a “No place for Hate” campaign? Via Tokenism at the very best, that’s how.
Ted, are you going to let this racist comment remain on your blog?
Ted, I’m sure you will wish to condem and distance yourself from the comments of this blatant racist and anti-muslim commentor so as not to confer legitimacy or to give the impression that you support such views.
I,m afraid to say, as a Muslim, that the descriptions of most Muslim countries by this person are unfortunately true. Political correctness it seems cannot deal with the truth.
Unfortunately Ted won’t take it down as he allows those who agree with his slant of things, no matter how anti-Muslim it maybe.
As he clearly reads posts before making them public, might point above is proven.
If Amir Khan had bothered to look at Harry’s place before he made his ridiculous comment above he would have realised that they have made no mention of this matter.
Imran Khan, see the link below.
http://hurryupharry.org/2011/06/16/the-water-lily-business-and-politicscollide/
What I see at the top of this is that it says that it is a cross post From Ted Jeory. This means, in case you don’t understand, that they saw it on this site first and then gave put it up on theirs. Simples, no?
I was making jovial query regarding copying and pasting. Had no idea you’d take personal offence on behalf of Ted. People on this blog are obviously not offensive in the least so my question was completely inappropriate. A thousand apologies my fellow phatan brother.
Yes, the Water Lily Centre was where Cllr Abbas launched his bid to be Mayor….
Labour launch Tower Hamlets mayoral campaign
Monday, October 4, 2010
THE LABOUR party showed on a united front as it launched its mayoral campaign with a gathering in Mile End.
An estimated 800 people turned up to hear from the party’s candidate council leader Helal Abbas along with endorsements from other East End politicians.
Poplar and Limehouse MP Jim Fitzpatrick and Bethnal Green and Bow MP Rushanara Ali were on hand to explain why they backed councillor Abbas in his bid to become Tower Hamlets’ first directly elected mayor.
Former Labour Health minister Frank Dobson also addressed the crowd at the Water Lily Business Centre in Stepney. London Assembly member John Biggs also gave Mr Abbas his backing…
(Oh, and “Local Politics” who keeps banging on here about the Halal Bite restaurant, also on Mile End Road – that has gone. Keep up.)
The Water Lily Centre launch for Cllr Abbas is from the East London Advertiser:-
http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/labour_launch_tower_hamlets_mayoral_campaign_1_662385
I think the point that Ted Jeory was making was that the centre is prepared to host extremists provided that there is money in it. I don,t see the relevance of the post in relation to the meeting by Cllr Abbas in relation to his election campaign. There is a tendency here for people to ignore the actual substance of a post and go off on all sorts of tangents indulging in “whataboutery”. It really doesn’t give them much credibility.
‘Imran Khan’ – or Ted’s rottweiler – the subject is the Water Lily, where ‘business and politics collide.’ Ted mentioned the history and he seems to find it relevant. After all, how did Wickhams Department Store become the Water Lily, last year? The council were involved so were quite content to see this group of “14 businessmen” create this venue. Other opinions (besides yours, “Imran”) from local residents are here:
http://whitechapelghoststyle.wordpress.com/2010/02/15/wickhams-department-store/
You really are missing the point. The history is there as a scene-setter. The point of post is consistency: a) about the boss of the centre giving a platform to an organisation his political party has banned; and b) the council and its No Place for Hate pledge. The council should not be spending our money on a venue which welcomes extremists: there are plenty other venues to choose.
Ted
Shurely (spelt like that purpose) you are no an advocate of ‘do it some where else’ as the last line of your comment states.
If you are soooo against extremist, then they shouldn’t be allowed anywhere, not just in councils that you write about.
You should have some consistency of stating that they should not be allowed anywhere, or is it just places that have a link to Lutfur the guy who is planning to take over the world!!!!!
It’s up to any business to accept a booking or not – and the consequences that go with it.
I know if I owned somewhere similar I wouldn’t accept HT.
Would you?
Ted
I want consistency just like you, if the rich mix centre, Toynbee hall or even a small darn flower shop was hosting extremists, I would hope you would use the same vitriol against the establishment for hosting them like you do with anything connected to the current council.
Please don’t turn this into a case for good/bad PR for a business and whether I or anyone else would allow them to speak at my hypothetical 500 seater grand hall.
You need to state that you will not be happy wherever they choose to go and you blog just the same, because your main focus (when it suits you) is not to allow any Muslim extreme groups to have their say, which is fine, so stick to this and carry towing this line, which would lead to…… some consistency, rather than talking about the negative press a location would get for hosting.
Extremists not welcome full stop!
Blatant Racism – you are having a laugh!. Maybe you should try visiting some of these undemocratic dictatorships to see how your liberal ideas would get on there.
I oppose the following world wide – http://www.ethicsoup.com/sexism/ – ego as you oppose me you must support it, as I am a supposed racist.
I applaud this http://lauraenroute.wordpress.com/2009/09/09/bangladesh-wrap-up-part-3-sexism-and-gender-relations-in-bangladesh/ – but you would oppose it as I am, in your eyes, racist.
My proposition – people brought up in a certain culture mostly tend to reflect it. i.e. The British on holiday around the world with their drinking culture in Spain, Canary Islands and Lavia etc etc. The Americans in Holiday in Europe with their “it’s bigger and better in the USA” world-view. The Cubans who left Cuba because Castro got it and moved to Miami, because Castro was too left wing. On that basis, if you are brought up in a culture where the norm is that homosexuality is punishable by death and women are treated badly it stands to reason that a lot of people are going to have those values ingrained in them, and when they cross the border into another country they are not going to park those views at the border-crossing and immediately become committed to equalities.
Apparently Christians in this country are more homophobic, militant and segregationalists than Muslims.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2005536/Trevor-Phillips-explosive-claim-Christians-fundamental-Muslims.html
Okay Ted so you are saying that the TH councillors who gave planning consent to these “14 businessmen” including Mr Faruk of the Awami League (?) are not the point of your post. And nor are the TH councillors who enjoyed Mr Faruk’s and the 13 others’ hospitality then – photos on Whitechapel Ghost of TH council “top brass” – and since then? And nor are the TH councillors/political party who have paid to use the venue in the last year – as for Cllr Abbas’ ‘do’?
No conflict for those same councillors now when they are being asked to bring pressure to bear on these same “businessmen” at their venue?
Agree with you Ted that of course there are other venues in TH. Rich Mix comes to mind – and they certainly could do with a few quid. I did not realise that TH council were giving the Water Lily our money. Thank you for this – could we be also be told just what these council “business bookings” are, and some examples. (Sorry, but I just don’t know what a “business booking” from the council means.)
The planning permission is irrelevant.
It’s completely up to the businessmen who they take money from, but I’d imagine a good business would be wary about its brand. I doubt that allowing Hizb ut-Tahrir to stage events is a sustainably smart move commercially.
If that centre continues to host them, then other political parties, if they feel strongly about (and Labour and the Tories certainly did when the issue of PVE money going to HT arose in 2008), must be consistent and bring pressure to bear.
It was the council’s press office which confirmed to me last week that the council has hired the venue. Again, if it wants to be consistent in the One Tower Hamlets theme, then it should bring pressure to bear.
Incidentally, I asked Mr Faruk whether he would accept a booking from the BNP (Uk version) or the EDL. He said he didn’t know who they were and he would have to research them before making a decision.
I also suspect that Tesco might have a thought or two about the prospect of any protest outside its door on July 9.
Thank you Ted – so we will have to ask the council’s press office then for exactly what “business booking” the council has made at the Water Lily, and how much of our money will be spent?
Sorry, but just do not agree with your line on the incumbent councillors who have had some involvement with the Water Lily in the past year as guests or hiring the venue or as the ones who agreed to grant them planning permission. The council should bring pressure to bear now, but for certain councillors – see the TH “top brass” for instance breaking bread with these Water Lily “businessmen” (on Whitechapel Ghost) – there is a conflict.
Quoting the Daily Mail – good call – lol 🙂
Well, given that the staple diet of right wing Islamophobes is the Daily Mail, I thought you would appreciate it. : – )
However, if you wish you can read the full text of Trevor Phillip’s interview here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8583922/Trevor-Phillips-wades-into-debate-on-religion-in-modern-society.html
Great article but you are using it out of context. Probably feels good to be able to put people into boxes. Shows your level of education, Adrian. Please learn to read first. Then learn your history for example how the different religions came about. Then have a look on the calender what year we are living in and what country.
See you are at it again with False-anti-islamaphobia – some members of lefts answer to everything they don’t agree with. BTW what about anti-Christianityaphobia – anti-semitism, anti-athesisatphobia – I don’t see those terms being bandied about when in the context of Islam.
My lack of appreciation of Islam, as well as many other world-wide religions, is not “irrational” as the word “phobic” suggests. My inability to accept/support certain societies/religions is based on the reality of what happens in Islamic/other religions society on a day to day basis – it’s based on fact not irrationality. As far as Islamic societies are concerned I do not agree with beheadings/stoning/capital punishment for homosexuals, dictatorships or the subjugation of women – and I don’t see anything wrong with stating that fact out loud, especially against a society that doesn’t allow/bans criticisms/freedom of expression. Look at Libya and Syria atm!
If this was a Nazi party with the same ideologies, you’d agree.
I’m Anti-nazi and Anti-Mugabe for the same reasons.
Well said and all of this true. I say this as a Muslim who would, in some countries, be executed as an apostate. On one of the reasons for for the current upheavals in Muslim states is the fact that none of them, with the possible exception of Turkey, have ever had an Enlightenment or Renaissance and the process of moving towards democracy is having to be compressed into a few years instead of a few centuries.
The left in this and other countries is confused about what is happening as the scenario unfolding does not fit in with their Marxist preconceptions of of Arabs and Muslims. For years, because of their opposition to Israel, alignment with the former Soviet Union and general anti American and anti western rhetoric, the repressive and in some cases murderous Arab regimes have always been viewed by the left as ” anti imperialist” and ” revolutionary”.
Now that the whole thing is falling apart the left is faced with yet another crisis similar to the one they suffered when Eastern Europe threw off the shackles of communism. I can only describe them as being in denial. In general the juvenile hatred of the society that they live in and which gives them the freedom to indulge in their quasi revolutionary posturings makes them look very like the seventies mock revolutionary ” Citizen Smith”.
What the left should be doing is asking themselves why they have consistently got everything wrong from the Russian revolution until now.
Oh dear, looks like the wheels are coming off the Islamophobes arguments. It seems that Muslims are more prouder of gay rights than Christians in this country:
http://liberalconspiracy.org/2011/06/27/uk-muslims-prouder-of-gay-rights-than-christians/
And some news just in! Gerge Galloway has challenged Salman Rushdie to a debate about Rushdie’s latest statement about Islamic extremism. Check out http://www.hurryupharry.org. This should be interesting. Whatever people think of Rushdie as far as I am concerned he is one of the finest writers in the English language at the moment, and indeed for some time.
There is an element of Islamaphobia here, shown in the comment under this story when it was put on Harry’s Place:
“The “little house” at the centre of Wickhams was, in fact, a family jewellers by the name of Spiegelhalter’s. It’s where my mother’s wedding ring came from!
I think I preferred that part of town when the Jewish element was more pronounced!
As a non-Jew, that is.”
There’s a similar comment on Whitechapel Ghost (from 2010):
“Interesting the ghost of Jack Cohen [ Tesco’s ], who began with a barrow in Aldgate some time ago – when the jews had fish & the irish chips – should return to Spiegalhalter’s last stand , in grand style – amazed they didn’t ask Fayed to open Herod’s East there. Proves the lion can lie down with the lamb [ mtbw principle ] – have we seen plans for the filling of the Spiegalhalter* Gap? Do pray it won’t be in the form of a tower with a loud recording coming out from the helmet – as froggy & toad a wooing go in the Water Lily pad below..”
So it’s the conversion of Wickham’s to this “magnet for Islam” (Harry’s Place) with the ‘Jewish’ jewellers shop at the centre and/or Jack Cohen’s grocery chain.
On the Jewish jewellers, the ignorance behind the prejudice is dreadful as the Spiegelhalters were in fact German Catholics. Anyone actually interested in the truth (no matter how much it hurts) can refer to the Spiegelhalter family website or the piece on Spitalfields Life on the plans to redevelop Spiegelhalter’s and Wickham’s.
“These decisions are taken regardless of the personal views of any particular director, this director said. Business is business, was the thrust of his argument – and who was he, he said, to make a judgement on what might be said at an event on his property?”
The British National Party is unlikely to be allowed to hold an event there any time soon.
Ted, can you confirm where you got your information about the Water Lily Business, owned by ’14 Bangladeshi Businessmen’. As it is factually incorrect. It is in fact owned by 30 businessmen, of various nationalities. Including one of the largest shareholder being an Indian National.
Then I would suggest the owners update Companies House with that information. Only 14 directors and shareholders are listed on its latest Annual Return…
Ted, that’s fine but please don’t assume that because Water Lily is a BME business in tower hamlets, that it is Bangladeshi owned.
I didn’t.
Puru, you’ve stated that it’s owned by 30 businessmen. That conflicts with the official record at Companies House. Why don’t you enlighten us? I’m most intrigued, as I’m sure others would be…
Well an annual return is due this August, and the records will be updated, and then we will all be enlightened. On a serious note, please phone our office on 020 7790 2211 for any facts checking, we will do our utmost to assist you in any way.
Thanks, Puru.
If the BNP or the EDL ring you on that number, will you accept their bookings?
Will you cancel the HT booking? The quote given to the East London Advertiser was nonsense: you are a private business and not compelled to accept any booking.
from the start i dont thing that the comparisons between diasporised bits of Islamist parties and the far right in the UK really works. I can see where the interest in categorising them together comes from but its quite provincial if not ill informed and jaundiced.
But some of the stuff you draw on is really quite silly.
Suddenly the awami league is an authority of whats terrorism? Do you know how the wilder of these people operate and the discourse of ethno nationalist hatred they deploy with destructive intent and effect?
Like many other parties they are in the business of political crapitalism. Their action on HT is like their action against their other opponents, greatly similar to a fascistic party that will not tolerate difference of opinion.
i know it was only part of your general blamestorm, but you should realise that south asian governments often act on HT people to show they are doing something, often to white power. The Pakistan military is currently doing the same. HT arent terroristic. Annoying, limited and a bit a liability yes, but the beginnings of the third reich. hmm.
Im glad that the water lily has opened up that part of mile end road and provides venue diversity along with the lmc, departure and richmix.
They’re not necessarily being categorised, but the question about a BNP or EDL booking is being asked in response to the WL’s ridiculous claim that it is somehow obliged to accept bookings from all legal groups.
As for your comments on the AL, they might be well-founded, but they are merely an attempt to move the goalposts on this issue, which is more about political hypocrisy.
Stick to the issue, please.
Its hard to stick to the issue because i think youve got a bit of an internet mashup approach to creating football pitches. Im not a striker or a goalie, if theres a position in your game.. call me a heckler and a pitch invader.
From my reading you were presenting the business case for taking your view on a no HT platform policy using terrorism tittilation.
We might also present the subaltern political case against permitting local wealth destroyers Tesco from trading on Water Lily premises.
Who cares. If he was breaking the rules it just shows him as being cavalier. It doesn’t look good but it’s hardly a Go Straight to Jail card.