Brady's, Brixton (Railway Hotel): history, chat and plans

[leanderman]

Had a chat in passing with the guys who are painting the outside of the building earlier today. They're doing some spray paint stuff in reasonably nice sympathetic colours. IMO what they've done so far is looking pretty good Apparently the Bradys signage on Electric Lane is staying as it is, and they're also putting in a Railway Hotel type sign in a similar typeface on the Atlantic Road side. My guess is Wahaca will be open early November given how close it is to being done.

Probably: Schedule in window suggests build period finishes end this month.

 

[Mr Retro]

I think the flat per se is really nice. The question is why in the fuck they put it where they did? Some poor fucking idiot will pay 450k for it too. It's scarcely believable.

 

[T & P]

It'd be a train spotter's dream home though. Although they never struck me as affluent types...

 

[colacubes]

People have already moved in to some of the flats by the look of it so they got snapped up pretty quickly!!

 

[editor]

It'd be a train spotter's dream home though. Although they never struck me as affluent types...

Won't get much of a view of a train that's going overhead!

 

[editor]

Admire the vibrancy:

http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2014/09/...adys-a-vibrant-makeover-as-opening-day-looms/

 

[Crispy]

Ugh. I hate that paint job. A similar thing was done to a smart old building opposite Kings Cross: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sovKN9gAzdICjN8xPjvlztw!2e0

 

[CH1]

Ugh. I hate that paint job. A similar thing was done to a smart old building opposite Kings Cross: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sovKN9gAzdICjN8xPjvlztw!2e0

Can't see it myself - the Kings Cross one looks quite bad.
The picture of the Railway/Bradys looks quite good to me, but have not seen it yet in the flesh so to speak.

 

[colacubes]

I actually don't mind the paint job too much.

 

[Dan U]

the bit on the left of the door looks like two dancing, colourful, penises.

 

[boohoo]

when a building has striking features I don't see the need to add lots of colour at the bottom. I'm curious to see what it's like at the end but I'm not sure like it on the Brady's building.

 

[teuchter]

I agree. It obliterates the architectural identity of the building.

 

[Rushy]

I really like the paintwork around the side entrance under the bridge. Had a chat to the guys doing the work on that part Thursday last week - nice guys and seemed pretty proud of it. Not brilliantly keen on the front - just seems unnecessary.

As for the Kings Cross building - well, I thought that about the architectural integrity to begin with but then decided that I quite liked the idea that they were breaking it up without being destructive. As an idea though, once you have seen it once it doesn't really have the same impact when it is repeated.

I'm entirely bored with commissioned designer tagging exteriors / interiors.

 

[editor]

Seems a long long time ago since I saw this sign outside Bradys.

 

[MrSki]

Ugh. I hate that paint job. A similar thing was done to a smart old building opposite Kings Cross: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sovKN9gAzdICjN8xPjvlztw!2e0

That is Barclays bank!

 

[Rushy]

It's the Megaro Hotel.

 

[MrSki]

It's the Megaro Hotel.

It is Barclays on street level.

 

[Rushy]

It is Barclays on street level.

It is but it is not painted. Just the uppers occupied by the Megaro and the entrances at street level.

 

[cuppa tee]

Admire the vibrancy

just checked out the wahaca website

http://www.wahaca.co.uk/locations/brixton-2/

when I read this I shuddered

Bringing a Brixton institution back to life, Wahaca Brixton is housed in the original Railway Hotel, bringing Mexican street food to the heart of the community. The restaurant sits restored original features alongside our own style, created by local graffiti artists and furniture designers. Once home to legendary gigs and sessions by Hendrix and The Clash, Wahaca Brixton will host regular DJ nights and spaces are available for local community events

trading heavily on the venues past which they have probably only read about and the word community looms large, I wonder how they will define it

 

[editor]

just checked out the wahaca website

http://www.wahaca.co.uk/locations/brixton-2/

when I read this I shuddered



trading heavily on the venues past which they have probably only read about and the word community looms large, I wonder how they will define it

I can't help but join in with your shuddering.

 

[Mr Retro]

Why shudder though? Nothing they say is wrong or misleading. Nobody would argue that it would have been much better to have the old Brady's and community space back but nobody managed that while it was closed for years and years.

Wahaca have at least put it back in use and seem to be trying to give a nod to the history of the building.

 

[editor]

Why shudder though? Nothing they say is wrong or misleading. Nobody would argue that it would have been much better to have the old Brady's and community space back but nobody managed that while it was closed for years and years.

Wahaca have at least put it back in use and seem to be trying to give a nod to the history of the building.

Wahaca are only here because (1) Brixton's become a 'safer' bet for businesses and (2) there's money to be made, and they're only 'nodding' to the past because it helps them make more of (2).

 

[Mr Retro]

Wahaca are only here because (1) Brixton's become a 'safer' bet for businesses and (2) there's money to be made, and they're only 'nodding' to the past because it helps them make more of (2).

Fair enough but those points are true for all new businesses in Brixton. Better to keep some of the history alive in my opinion by restoring physical features and trying to keep some memories alive. If that makes them more successful then I personally have no problem with that.

 

[Thaw]

Bitching and moaning because community space is lost.
Bitching and moaning because community space is offered.

 

[editor]

Bitching and moaning because community space is lost.
Bitching and moaning because community space is offered.

Define 'community space' with regards to this commercial development please.

Property developers have a habit of bandying around that phrase but not actually delivering on anything, you see.

 

[editor]

Fair enough but those points are true for all new businesses in Brixton. Better to keep some of the history alive in my opinion by restoring physical features and trying to keep some memories alive. If that makes them more successful then I personally have no problem with that.

The 'Keeping history alive' spiel has proved quite a neat marketing point.

 

[Thaw]

'space for community events' seems like a good enough definition.

 

[Mr Retro]

The 'Keeping history alive' spiel has proved quite a neat marketing point.

Jesus that's awful. I don't think it's a good comparison with Brady's and Wahaca though.

 

[Mr Retro]

'space for community events' seems like a good enough definition.

Maybe the soon to be closed Canterbury could be put in that community space?

 

[editor]

'space for community events' seems like a good enough definition.

I'm glad you're so clear on that because whenever I've directly asked developers to explain exactly what they mean, they tend to go rather vague on the details/costings/definition of 'community' etc.