Gallery owners are staging a protest in London’s Cork Street, a major enclave of the art world for 90 years, on Saturday (October 13) against proposed developments that would result in the closure of seven galleries.

The oldest, the Mayor Gallery, founded in 1925, launched the UK careers of Francis Bacon, Max Ernst and Joan Miró. On August 7, the gallery-plus six others: Adam Gallery, Alpha Gallery, Beaux Arts, Stoppenbach & Delestre, Waterhouse & Dodd and Gallery 27-was given notice that it would have to leave its premises in June 2013. So far, 11,000 people have signed a petition against plans to demolish 22-27, Cork Street as part of Standard Life’s £90 million sale of the site to an international partnership.

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Plans have also been announced by The Pollen Estates to redevelop 5-9, Cork Street-which is home to Hay Hill, Bernard Jacobson, Messum’s and Petleys-in 2015. The campaigning group Save Cork Street (www.savecorkstreet.com) is lobbying for the developments to be halted.

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