By Lavender Botts
Westminster is reeling after revelations that the Central London Neighbourhood Unity Forum (CLNUF) spent £40,000 of community funds on a ceremonial gong that has yet to be struck in public.
The 8-foot bronze instrument, commissioned from a “sound healer collective” in Bali, was meant to be the centrepiece of local meetings. In funding applications, CLNUF claimed the gong would “resonate with the collective frequency of Central London” and help settle disputes over parking, bins, and short-term lets.
Instead, it has been locked in a Goodge Street storage unit since April after test strikes reportedly rattled windows as far away as Euston Road.
CLNUF chair Harold Fanshawe defended the purchase, saying the gong was “an investment in civic harmony.” At the last meeting, he told residents: “When the gong sounds, we stop being individuals. We become London.”
Not everyone agrees.
“It’s outrageous,” said café owner Maria Sanchez. “We’ve been begging for better lighting on Cleveland Street, and they blow forty grand on a drum you can’t even carry.”
Others, however, insist the gong has untapped potential. Local artist Sebastian Cole described it as “a vital piece of sonic placemaking,” adding: “If you can’t hear the unity in bronze, maybe you’re not ready for Westminster’s next chapter.”
An inquiry has been launched to look into the use of the grant, which was officially awarded for “sustainable neighbourhood improvements.” A leaked draft report describes the gong as “arguably recyclable.”
Meanwhile, residents are divided on what to do next. Some want the gong sold to recoup losses, while others are pushing for it to be struck at the start of every Central London Neighbourhood Unity Forum meeting, regardless of decibel levels.
As one weary resident put it: “It’s fitting, really. They wanted harmony, and all we’ve got is a row about a very big gong.”
