Angel pub on Coldharbour Lane becomes arty community space run by Brick Box

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Completely agree - my former employer used to be bona fide service providing charity, but when it got into financial difficulties around 2000 the social enterprise types picked at it like vultures, then took it over. It is now a property company "social enterprise serving the disabled community". Because it now gets no council grants the clique who run it no longer have to obey equal ops rules such as Lambeth Social services used to have in their "Conditions of Grant Aid". Employees are recruited without advertising, free "volunteers" (unpaid menial workers) are provided by Mencap Pathway, A&E etc who want their "clients" to get "work experience". Meanwhile the board have taken the power to pay themselves consultancies of £x thousand to draw up reports for developing the business. (As a charity formerly the board were the unpaid volunteers).
A corrupt and exploitative situation - not a nice place to work any more. Glad I left in retrospect.

TBH charities aren't immune to that sort of stuff these days, especially as they're increasingly acting as contracted service providers.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Sorry I meant A4E - the employment trainers with have a branch in Bon Marché. Provide "The Work Programme" round here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17161210

Ah right, I've heard of them. Aren't they the ones tainted by fraud?

 

[Dan U]

i wonder if they will be 'inspired by street drinkers' to often have complex physical and mental health needs and a shortened life expectancy

i hadn't read that claptrap till now.

 

[CH1]

Sorry I meant A4E - the employment trainers with have a branch in Bon Marché. Provide "The Work Programme" round here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17161210

A4E itself seems to think it is a social firm - despite paying out millions in "dividends" to its founders.
Anyone got any dirt on TBG? Brixton JobCentre keep sending me on courses to TBG in Kennington. It looks pretty kosher down there though - I think their courses are paid for by the European Social Fund. That means they would get paid for a start, for some "milestones" and for the qualification. They don't have to invent fake "jobs" to get their money. They might mark the C&G (City and Guilds) exams very leniently though, I suppose.

 

[CH1]

Ah right, I've heard of them. Aren't they the ones tainted by fraud?

read the BBC link

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I was just doing a Columbo for mild comic effect

 

[Thimble Queen]

Despite the guff on the website, I really like the food in brick box. I do think they are well meaning, even if this £40 supper club community centre thing might be a bit I'm interested to find out what they'll be doing with the Angel after the opening night though...

 

[editor]

I think the Brick Box have done a very good job in the Villaaage.

I'm just hoping that this venture down the road isn't going to turn them in to the Cecil Rhodes of Brixton.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I do think they are well meaning

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

 

[DietCokeGirl]

i wonder if they will be 'inspired by street drinkers' to often have complex physical and mental health needs and a shortened life expectancy.

Indeed. I didn't really wanna get started on that, but he whole idea of the gritty-real-life-glamour-of-the-streetz is surely dispelled by now? That line reads less 'compassion and inclusion' and more 'wacky and clueless, and never dealt with TB sputum' If you're really inspired by the the great unwashed socially isolated, volunteer at a soup run. End rant.

 

[Dan U]

i might go on Dragons Den with a business idea of apeing poverty.

authentic weekends of bin diving, polydrug abuse topped off with white lightening foie gras served in a disused homeless shelter

given the austerity times we live in, it should be a sure fire winner. i can smell Peter Jones's cash already.

 

[editor]

 

[CH1]

Thank God my main cultural excess is going to the Proms.

 

[Onket]

Yes they do. In a pub. Which is free to all in an event put on by locals. Have you got a point here because I'll be fucked if I know where this utterly bizarre argument is going.

I made my point earlier. I can only assume you had your blinkers on again.

Yawn.

 

[Rushy]

£5 for an elaborately themed "one off" event sounds like a bargain. Much cheaper than the other regularly staged themed event in Brixton, Torture Garden. A series of themed events held five times a year in Brixton (used to be at Mass, next one 2 June at Dex). No big names. The attraction is the theme. £23 (up to £50 for NYE IIRC). Been going on here for years. No food or drinks included - not even a packet of hankies. So £5 for a one off themed event sounds like a bargain. No one is getting rich off that. Perhaps those who really want to go but genuinely can't afford a fiver could go the Brick Box and ask if they can help out with something in return for free entry.

Arguing that the cost of the optional dinner makes it exclusive is like arguing that you can't afford to go to the Natural History Museum because the sandwiches and muffins are overpriced.

Brick Box clearly set out four objectives for the site and this one off event does not appear to be in conflict with those aims. Like the museums, they will hopefully make some profit from the catering and be able to plough that back into their projects, even if that just means paying people who make this stuff happen.

 

[Gramsci]

Sorry I meant A4E - the employment trainers with have a branch in Bon Marché. Provide "The Work Programme" round here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17161210

Emma Harrison the owner of A4E calls herself a "social entrepreuner". Like making a lot of money out of the unemployed is just something she does out of the goodness of her heart.

 

[Gramsci]

Brick Box clearly set out four objectives for the site and this one off event does not appear to be in conflict with those aims. Like the museums, they will hopefully make some profit from the catering and be able to plough that back into their projects, even if that just means paying people who make this stuff happen.

In which case it would be good if they said this was a fundraising event for all the good works they are going to do. The way I read it they think this event is part of being in touch with "forgotten corners". (See my previous post on there artistic ideas.)

 

[Rushy]

Kanda said: ↑

Introduce himself to the area? He's been doing Supper Club for years just down the road... Saltoun Rd.​

​

​

Oh come on, get real. Saltoun Road is *nothing* like this stretch of Coldharbour Lane neither does it share the same history or demographics.

This kind of street by street micro-localism can't be good for Brixton. It is no less intolerant than arguing that SLAM's drug rehab centre should not have been built next to Trinity Gardens because it is not needed by its immediate neighbours.

 

[spanglechick]

i think the justified frustration with the nature of the event (the fiver is a red herring, IMO - like i say, that's cheap for a school play, ime), is that in the earlier publicity the use of the word 'community' was understandably taken to mean inclusive of the whole local population - especially given the part of brixton and the history of the site. So, somewhere accessible and not elitist... whereas what they've chosen to put on for their opening night is, well, for want of a less overused word... hipster.

so yes, young, childfree professionals are part of the community of brixton, and that's the part of the community brick box would appear to be interested in. but really there's no shortage of arts spaces doing this sort of thing in london. this section of the community is already catered for. they have every right to do it, but it seems unfair, when other parts of the community have so little.

It strikes me that a much better version of this would have been something like Theatre Peckham, which for 25+ years has been offering cheap (subsidised) theatre arts classes (dance, singing, acting) to kids from toddler to 18 from a building on an estate in peckham. they put on the kids' shows and pro shows (which they do charge for), get the local schools in and go out to them... provide some employment for locals... brilliant. And that's what this could have been. not necessarily for kids - but something like that.

 

[spanglechick]

In which case it would be good if they said this was a fundraising event for all the good works they are going to do. The way I read it they think this event is part of being in touch with "forgotten corners". (See my previous post on there artistic ideas.)

i can't imagine this will make much profit.

 

[Rushy]

In which case it would be good if they said this was a fundraising event for all the good works they are going to do. The way I read it they think this event is part of being in touch with "forgotten corners". (See my previous post on there artistic ideas.)

I think it is up to them whether they clarify that. Personally, I don't think most people are all that interested to know about the financial set up. But if it is important to you you should definitely ask them. They specifically invite thoughts and ideas on the same page.

 

[boohoo]

The problem is which part of the community should a project serve? the old, the young, infants, toddlers, teenagers, disabled, Black, Asian, Chinese, working class, middle class, etc, etc, etc....

You can't please everyone.

 

[Rushy]

i think the justified frustration with the nature of the event (the fiver is a red herring, IMO - like i say, that's cheap for a school play, ime), is that in the earlier publicity the use of the word 'community' was understandably taken to mean inclusive of the whole local population - especially given the part of brixton and the history of the site. So, somewhere accessible and not elitist... whereas what they've chosen to put on for their opening night is, well, for want of a less overused word... hipster.

so yes, young, childfree professionals are part of the community of brixton, and that's the part of the community brick box would appear to be interested in. but really there's no shortage of arts spaces doing this sort of thing in london. this section of the community is already catered for. they have every right to do it, but it seems unfair, when other parts of the community have so little.

It strikes me that a much better version of this would have been something like Theatre Peckham, which for 25+ years has been offering cheap (subsidised) theatre arts classes (dance, singing, acting) to kids from toddler to 18 from a building on an estate in peckham. they put on the kids' shows and pro shows (which they do charge for), get the local schools in and go out to them... provide some employment for locals... brilliant. And that's what this could have been. not necessarily for kids - but something like that.

Sounds like a great project. That does not make it the Brick Box's responsibility to set it up. They have seen an opportunity and taken it. They have not prevented anyone else from proposing or setting up other projects. You never know - they may be really keen to hear from local individuals keen to set up a group similar to the Peckham one but who aren't sure where to start or just need a little support?

 

[spanglechick]

The problem is which part of the community should a project serve? the old, the young, infants, toddlers, teenagers, disabled, Black, Asian, Chinese, working class, middle class, etc, etc, etc....

You can't please everyone.

no, sure - but perhaps serving areas of the community who are least served at the moment would be a good start.

 

[spanglechick]

Sounds like a great project. That does not make it the Brick Box's responsibility to set it up. They have seen an opportunity and taken it. They have not prevented anyone else from proposing or setting up other projects. You never know - they may be really keen to hear from local individuals keen to set up a group similar to the Peckham one but aren't sure where to start or just need a little support?

no - of course not - it's just if you say something will be a community resource, that's the kind of thing people hope for because that's the kind of thing that's needed. if they'd never used the word community, and just called it a multi-arts venue, people would, i think be less upset..

 

[boohoo]

no, sure - but perhaps serving areas of the community who are least served at the moment would be a good start.

I'm not sure who that is in the area. People often go for the obvious without asking if what they are offering are the right thing for that group ( and if that group needs it)

 

[spanglechick]

I'm not sure who that is in the area. People often go for the obvious without asking if what they are offering are the right thing for that group ( and if that group needs it)

well quite. what consultation with local residents has happened here? not that anyone NEEDS to consult, but if you claim to be a community resource it might be an idea to know what the whole community want.

 

[soupdragon]

it might be an idea to know what the whole community want.

maybe a pub?

Pubs not Hubs!

 

[teuchter]

The whole what community?

 

[Mrs Magpie]

no - of course not - it's just if you say something will be a community resource, that's the kind of thing people hope for because that's the kind of thing that's needed. if they'd never used the word community, and just called it a multi-arts venue, people would, i think be less upset..

well quite. what consultation with local residents has happened here? not that anyone NEEDS to consult, but if you claim to be a community resource it might be an idea to know what the whole community want.

This sums up why I'm cross, really. Although the blurb on who they are is pretty pukesome with all that street drinker shite.