Should Windrush Square be renamed Ritzy Square?

[fjydj]

was sat out there last saturday, thought it was great… real change for the better

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

was sat out there last saturday, thought it was great… real change for the better

I bet the people who used to be able to sit there don't think so

 

[Brixton Hatter]

was sat out there last saturday, thought it was great… real change for the better

I cant disagree that it's pleasant to sit out in the square with a beer. But if you don't want to patronise the Ritzy, you don't really have any other choice.

Isn't the square an alcohol control zone (or whatever they're called) - I can't remember?

 

[Badgers]

How would people feel if other businesses did the same? KFC spread out on their corner?

It is great to have a picture house cinema but the food there is shit and expensive by local standards. It is not fair on other local eateries for them to sprawl like that.

I assume they pay for all the space used?

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Isn't the square an alcohol control zone (or whatever they're called) - I can't remember?

I think the whole of Central Brixton is.

 

[colacubes]

I was turfed off one of the chairs outside the ritzy with my own coffee by a security guard while I was waiting for some friends. They weren't quite open yet either.

I've been moderately resentful of the place ever since this happened ^^

 

[quimcunx]

I've spent shitloads of time sitting on the square and mostly my patronage of the Ritzy only runs to using their loo.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I bet the people who used to be able to sit there don't think so

I used to sit on the grassy bit with my kids.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I've been moderately resentful of the place ever since this happened ^^

Don't blame you.

 

[quimcunx]

I used to sit on the grassy bit with my kids.

that's where I sit, very happily, for hours at a time.

Never once used windrush sqaure for fuck all before.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I used to sit on the grassy bit with my kids.

Well you'll have to move further up the road or go and plonk yourself on Editor's bit of green while it's still there

 

[RaverDrew]

I cant disagree that it's pleasant to sit out in the square with a beer. But if you don't want to patronise the Ritzy, you don't really have any other choice.

Isn't the square an alcohol control zone (or whatever they're called) - I can't remember?

I've never had any bother drinking the odd k cider out there with friends.

 

[Badgers]

I assume they pay for all the space used?

Do they? Anyone know?

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Do they? Anyone know?

i think they have to pay the council a small amount per square foot - it was further up this thread somewhere IIRC

 

[Badgers]

i think they have to pay the council a small amount per square foot - it was further up this thread somewhere IIRC

Ah. I guess that anyone can pay a small amount and set up shop then?

You, me, a BBQ and some cheap burgers one day? We will do well

 

[Brixton Hatter]

If I had the money, I'd convert the old Victorian toilets in the square into a scrumpy cider bar, put loads of chairs and tables around the square, and put all the profits into the server fund

 

[RaverDrew]

If I had the money, I'd convert the old Victorian toilets in the square into a scrumpy cider bar, put loads of chairs and tables around the square, and put all the profits into the server fund

I don't think I've ever liked a post on urban this much

 

[Belushi]

If I had the money, I'd convert the old Victorian toilets in the square into a scrumpy cider bar, put loads of chairs and tables around the square, and put all the profits into the server fund

Badgers Den

Please do this!

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Badgers Den

Please do this!

Ok, if we can 'crowd source' the funds, we'll do it!

We could carpet the drinking area with this:

 

[Badgers]

Ok, if we can 'crowd source' the funds, we'll do it!

I will flip burgers, you pull pints.... This time next year Rodders

 

[Brixton Hatter]

I will flip burgers, you pull pints.... This time next year Rodders

we'll put the Crown & Anchor and Honest Burgers out of business within weeks

 

[Brixton Hatter]

I assume they pay for all the space used?

the price are here: http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/Business/LicencesStreetTrading/StreetTradingLicences_EXTRA.htm

It looks like they pay £976 for getting the licence plus £22 for each hour they want to use the space after 7pm.

 

[CH1]

Someone at the residents meeting tonight was complaining about the Ritzy using part of the square and "pushing out" the local community etc. There's a bit of a minor bunfight on Twitter about it. I can't say I object to the Ritzy using their bit of space but since the summer has come (sort of!!) it's a real reminder there isn't enough seating in the square for it to be truly used and enjoyed by all locals.

Just for the record Mr Linskey responded that BS had taken this up but been told that this land is vested with "parks", being officially Rush Common. And Parks gave the Ritzy permission in the first place. And parks don't charge. Parks also gave Brixton Society permission to co-ordinate occasional community/arts events there - free - provided they have insurance in case of some public liability occurring.
I bet former Cllr R*e (the one who facilitated Windrush Square in the first place - thinking it would look like your earlier Victorian/Edwardian views) is gutted at what's going on - he used to say it was "pleasant" sitting with the street drinkers.
Personally I don't really like sitting with drinkers at all when they are pissed - whether they are paying £1.10 a can or £5 a pint!

 

[CH1]

the price are here: http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/Business/LicencesStreetTrading/StreetTradingLicences_EXTRA.htm
It looks like they pay £976 for getting the licence plus £22 for each hour they want to use the space after 7pm.

see #203

 

[editor]

There's been some debate on Twitter about the way that the Ritzy is helping itself to the space in Windrush Square.

Cue one king size facepakm-inducing tweet from
Alex Bolton
@KentishTownie 'NW5 residing, marathon running BBC journalist whose opinions are entirely his own.'



Yes, that's right mate. It was full of savages before the Ritzy commercialised the space.

 

[CH1]

There's been some debate on Twitter about the way that the Ritzy is helping itself to the space in Windrush Square.
Cue one king size facepakm-inducing tweet from
Alex Bolton
@KentishTownie 'NW5 residing, marathon running BBC journalist whose opinions are entirely his own.'
View attachment 20089
Yes, that's right mate. It was full of savages before the Ritzy commercialised the space.

You have him wrong Ed - HE means he wants it like Paris or Athens - well he may get his wish there in the summer!

 

[newbie]

last night, when it was raining, suppoorters of the womens centre were by the tree banging saucepan lids and holding a banner about the closure. Where are they to go if today stays sunny and that space is filled with tables and people paying for a peaceful evening?

 

[Badgers]

Someone at the residents meeting tonight was complaining about the Ritzy using part of the square and "pushing out" the local community etc. There's a bit of a minor bunfight on Twitter about it. I can't say I object to the Ritzy using their bit of space but since the summer has come (sort of!!) it's a real reminder there isn't enough seating in the square for it to be truly used and enjoyed by all locals.

Out of interest did you get the feeling anything would be done about it?

 

[CH1]

Out of interest did you get the feeling anything would be done about it?

I can confidently predict that nothing will be done about that issue.
Meanwhile my own view of the meeting was that the New Labour apparatchiks are corrupted from top to bottom - by money.
Most people at the meeting seemed unaware that the star speaker - Sue Foster - Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning - has a salary of AT LEAST £152,000 p.a.
The salient matter in THEIR thinking was there were apparently only four grants of £20,000 available for "community organisations" to assist and co-operate with the Cooperative Council in this third re-run of the Brixton Master plan consultation. (How do we get our hands on THAT? - I could hear them thinking).
Of course if they had been diligent in their Maths lessons at school they could have appreciated that if the Director halved her salary voluntarily there could have been EIGHT grants. And the director would still have been earning THREE TIMES the average worker's salary in Lambeth.
As a diligent student of mediaeval history I despair of current Lambeth "activists". Consider the case of King John and the Barons. The Barons wanted their fair share of the action - so they introduced Magna Carta. Peeved at this King John went on a progress - meaning that said Barons would have to provide him with free food and accommodation on his travels. A bit like Invalidity Benefit is now. Unluckily for King John he failed to notice the tide of history at King's Lynn and lost all his money and jewels in a marshy area subject to flooding now known as "The Wash"
Tootle pip!

 

[Brixton Hatter]

There's been some debate on Twitter about the way that the Ritzy is helping itself to the space in Windrush Square.

Cue one king size facepakm-inducing tweet from
Alex Bolton
@KentishTownie 'NW5 residing, marathon running BBC journalist whose opinions are entirely his own.'

Yes, that's right mate. It was full of savages before the Ritzy commercialised the space.

Yeah I saw that on Twitter last night but I couldn't be arsed to respond to it. There were loads of similar tweets - all along the lines of "but what's wrong with the ritzy seating, it's lovely" - mostly from professional people who look like they've only lived here for a short time and probably don't remember the old Square.