Radical Routes: Difference between revisions

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[https://files.radicalroutes.org.uk/apps/files/files/189107?dir=/Exhibition%20and%20Publicity%20Working%20Group/Photos%20-%20stock&editing=false&openfile=true Morning business meeting at Radical Routes Spring Gathering, from May 2024]

[[https://files.radicalroutes.org.uk/apps/files/files/189107?dir=/Exhibition%20and%20Publicity%20Working%20Group/Photos%20-%20stock&editing=false&openfile=true|thumb|alt=51 participants sat in circle on grass and hay bales beneath large marquis tent, engaged in discussion|Morning business meeting from Radical Routes Spring Gathering, May 2024, in Scotland]]

[[https://files.radicalroutes.org.uk/apps/files/files/189107?dir=/Exhibition%20and%20Publicity%20Working%20Group/Photos%20-%20stock&editing=false&openfile=true|thumb|alt=51 participants sat in circle on grass and hay bales beneath large marquis tent, engaged in discussion|Morning business meeting from Radical Routes Spring Gathering, May 2024, in Scotland]]

”’Radical Routes”’ is a UK-based network of [[Housing cooperative|housing co-operatives]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=29 July 2011|title=Housing co-ops: one way to find an affordable home|url=http://www.theguardian.com/money/2011/jul/29/housing-co-op-affordable-home|access-date=4 November 2020|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803095504/https://www.theguardian.com/money/2011/jul/29/housing-co-op-affordable-home|url-status=live}}</ref> [[worker co-operatives]], and [[social centres]], focusing on radical social change. The organisation supports new and established co-ops through loan finance, training workshops, practical support, advice, and national gatherings.<ref name=”:0″>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radicalroutes.org.uk/aims-and-principles.html|title=Radical Routes – Aims & Principles|website=www.radicalroutes.org.uk|access-date=27 October 2019|archive-date=28 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191028221715/https://www.radicalroutes.org.uk/aims-and-principles.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gradin |first=Sofa |date=2014-05-16 |title=Radical Routes and Alternative Avenues |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0486613414532764 |journal=Review of Radical Political Economics |volume=47 |issue=2 |pages=141–158 |doi=10.1177/0486613414532764 |s2cid=154224455 |issn=0486-6134|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

”’Radical Routes”’ is a UK-based network of [[Housing cooperative|housing co-operatives]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=29 July 2011|title=Housing co-ops: one way to find an affordable home|url=http://www.theguardian.com/money/2011/jul/29/housing-co-op-affordable-home|access-date=4 November 2020|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803095504/https://www.theguardian.com/money/2011/jul/29/housing-co-op-affordable-home|url-status=live}}</ref> [[worker co-operatives]], and [[social centres]], focusing on radical social change. The organisation supports new and established co-ops through loan finance, training workshops, practical support, advice, and national gatherings.<ref name=”:0″>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radicalroutes.org.uk/aims-and-principles.html|title=Radical Routes – Aims & Principles|website=www.radicalroutes.org.uk|access-date=27 October 2019|archive-date=28 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191028221715/https://www.radicalroutes.org.uk/aims-and-principles.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gradin |first=Sofa |date=2014-05-16 |title=Radical Routes and Alternative Avenues |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0486613414532764 |journal=Review of Radical Political Economics |volume=47 |issue=2 |pages=141–158 |doi=10.1177/0486613414532764 |s2cid=154224455 |issn=0486-6134|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

UK-based network of co-operatives

[participants sat in circle on grass and hay bales beneath large marquis tent, engaged in discussion|Morning business meeting from Radical Routes Spring Gathering, May 2024, in Scotland]
Radical Routes is a UK-based network of housing co-operatives,[3] worker co-operatives, and social centres, focusing on radical social change. The organisation supports new and established co-ops through loan finance, training workshops, practical support, advice, and national gatherings.[4][5]

Radical Routes emerged in 1986 from a network of people in London and Hull who wanted to develop workers’ co-operatives.[6] The network agreed its common aims and adopted the name Radical Routes in 1988, and became incorporated as Radical Routes Limited in 1992.[7] In 1998 Rootstock Limited was incorporated as an investment scheme supporting Radical Routes co-operatives.[8] The original house in Hockley was set up as the ‘New Education Housing Co-op’.[9]

According to Rootstock, between 1991 and 2012 Radical Routes made over sixty loans to member co-ops[10] totalling over £1.5m, As of 2025[11] – with no co-operatives defaulting on loan payments.[12] These loans have typically been used by member housing co-ops, in addition to finance from traditional lenders, to buy property,[13] as well as to update and maintain existing properties.

Radical Routes provides small loans (exceeding £110,000, in at least one case from winter 2023) to member co-operatives. Decisions on making loans are made collectively by other member co-operatives, this has been described as “peer-group loan appraisal”.[14]

Radical Routes has published booklets on subjects such as How to set up a Housing Co-operative and How to set up a Worker Co-operative[15], amongst others, as well as tea towels, posters, and other merchandise.

With Co-operatives UK they launched proposals for an independent co-operative regulator after the government announced that it would be abolishing the FSA. Previously the FSA had regulated co-operatives, which were registered as industrial and provident societies.

Radical Routes is developing a ‘co-op cluster’ model for co-op housing with groups of housing co-ops combining their assets to buy new properties outright, eliminating mortgage interest.[16]

Member co-operatives are expected to commit to a share of Radical Routes’ workload as volunteers, and work toward radical social change.[17][18]

As of January 2026 the organisation has 42 members: 39 housing co-ops, and 1 workers’ co-op, and 2 social centres.[19]

A 2014 round table report by Radical Routes and Friends Provident Foundation identified carpet bagging, among other things, as a systemic weakness within the existing housing co-op framework.[20] ‘Carpet bagging’ refers to established co-ops significantly reducing their rents or, rarely, selling their property for private gain. The report explores ways in which the systematic weaknesses might be addressed, mentioning the Mietshäuser Syndikat model as having provably solved the carpet bagging issue.[20]

  1. ^ “Mutuals Public Register: Radical Routes Limited”. mutuals.fca.org.uk. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  2. ^ “Members Directory – Radical Routes”. www.radicalroutes.org.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  3. ^ “Housing co-ops: one way to find an affordable home”. The Guardian. 29 July 2011. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  4. ^ “Radical Routes – Aims & Principles”. www.radicalroutes.org.uk. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  5. ^ Gradin, Sofa (16 May 2014). “Radical Routes and Alternative Avenues”. Review of Radical Political Economics. 47 (2): 141–158. doi:10.1177/0486613414532764. ISSN 0486-6134. S2CID 154224455.
  6. ^ Gosling, Paul (18 July 1993). “Fund sells a stake in radical ventures: Paul Gosling reports on schemes to provide low-interest loans for alternative businesses at home and abroad”. The Independent. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  7. ^ “Radical Routes Social Accounts 2013” (PDF). Social Audit Network. 2013. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  8. ^ “Radical Routes”. www.rootstock.org.uk. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  9. ^ Albery, Nicholas (1992). The Book of Visions: An Encyclopaedia of Social Innovations. Virgin. ISBN 9780863696015. Archived from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  10. ^ “Radical Routes Loans”. www.rootstock.org.uk. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  11. ^ “Radical Routes Loan Fund”. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  12. ^ “Radical Routes Loans”. www.rootstock.org.uk. Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  13. ^ “Housing coops: a landlord you can trust”. The Bristol Cable. 27 August 2019. Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  14. ^ Field, Stuart (April 2015). “Financial models for Community Development Finance Institutions in the UK” (PDF). ISB Paper Series. 15. Institute for Social Banking: 54. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  15. ^ “Publications & Resources”. radicalroutes.org.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  16. ^ Kidd, Marie-Claire (16 June 2015). “Radical Routes Plans to Free Housing Co-ops from Mortgage Trap”. The News Coop. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  17. ^ Nicholson, Patrick (November 2007). “Radical Routes”. peacenews.info. Peace News. Archived from the original on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  18. ^ Rai, Milan; Johns, Emily (December 2014). “Radical Routes and radical social change”. peacenews.info. Peace News. Archived from the original on 26 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  19. ^ “Radical Routes members and associates”. www.radicalroutes.org.uk. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  20. ^ a b “Co-op Clusters – Round table report” (PDF), www.radicalroutes.org.uk, 2014, archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2022, retrieved 9 October 2022

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