A marketing video for a new apartment block in Dalston has been criticised by politicians and local people for not properly representing the multi-cultural nature of the area.
The Beechwood Road ‘Vibe’ development of luxury flats, set for completion in Autumn this year, promises ‘an exciting lifestyle’ to residents in an area that developers Telford Homes have dubbed the ‘coolest place to live in Britain’.
The video depicts a young white woman shopping for designer clothes, skipping through fields, dining in expensive restaurants and getting a haircut in a top salon in the promotional video that appears to largely exclude Dalston itself.
Shots of Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, Westfield shopping centre and the Queen’s Guard are shown as the video boasts of the major London amenities suggested to be on the doorstep of the development.
The advert has been met with harsh criticism from many Londoners who felt its false representation of the area was clearly marketed to foreign property buyers.
Twitter user Samir Jeraj (@sajeraj) slammed developers for failing to represent the area’s cultural diversity:
Looks like, according to this property ad video, #Dalston #Hackney has no Black or Asian people. Who’d have guessed? https://t.co/9N548ir7tV
— Samir Jeraj (@sajeraj) March 11, 2016
Another user said the video ‘shames’ all those involved in it, describing it as “disgusting, inaccurate and socially and ethnically cleansed”.
Jon Burke, a Hackney Labour councillor called the advert ‘gross’, tweeting: “Black/#workingclass people clearly aren’t part of their ‘vision’.”
Gross @TelfordHomes advert for new #Dalston flats. Black/#workingclass people clearly aren’t part of their ‘vision’. https://t.co/BLAATK2QI8
— Cllr Jon Burke (@jonburkeUK) March 14, 2016
Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington has also attacked the video for “completely obliterating” the diversity of Dalston.
She told the Evening Standard: “This video sells Dalston short. It is a much more vibrant and interesting community than the video makes out.”
She said those unfamiliar with the area would believe that Dalston was merely a “particularly spruced up few streets in Mayfair” after watching the video.
Abbott appeared to agree with the angered Twitter users, adding that the video “illustrates the drive to socially cleanse areas like Dalston”.
Telford Homes have declined to comment.
