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

[Passdout]

Ironically, the one and only time I ever remember seeing my grandad (mums dad) was outside the other Bradys (The Russel Hotel in Brixton Rd) which as far as I know is also closed.

 

[lang rabbie]

I think this may be the thread people were trying to revive, rather than IntoStella's from quite so long ago.

More details of the City Hall event at:

http://www.abcbrixton.org/

 

[netbob]

A good evening! They did a really good job of getting people from loads of different groups together (lots of faces I recognised, but hadnt seen in the same room before).

 

[editor]

I couldn't go in the end, so tell us more!

 

[netbob]

I couldn't go in the end, so tell us more!

Nothing more about the plans than is already known, but lots of general enthusiasm, bit of music (I never reaslised how much (Whipersnappers get up to). I'm sure it was the incense guy (dont know hiss name) from outside the tube was doing gymnastics too. A few politicos there too.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

The Incense man (AKA THe Mighty Wanderer) has been involved in Whippersnappers for many a long year.

 

[rascal]

alabama - who were supposed to headline - most of the group did not bother turning up. Didn't even phone and cancel.

 

[Dubversion]

alabama - who were supposed to headline - most of the group did not bother turning up. Didn't even phone and cancel.

who did show up? they were booked as acoustic so it wouldn't have been the whole line-up anyway

 

[Brixton Hatter]

So what is the council's position on all this? Are they inviting bids? Or is this (as I suspect) lobbying to persuade them to get off their arses and do something with the building? Have Lambeth they said anything formally about Brady's?

 

[editor]

alabama - who were supposed to headline - most of the group did not bother turning up. Didn't even phone and cancel.

I've offered to get involved in the next one and sort out a bill.

 

[rascal]

I've offered to get involved in the next one and sort out a bill.

coolio

your help would be assisted

 

[rascal]

i mean appreciated

 

[RaverDrew]

well both really

 

[netbob]

So what is the council's position on all this? Are they inviting bids? Or is this (as I suspect) lobbying to persuade them to get off their arses and do something with the building? Have Lambeth they said anything formally about Brady's?

Technically they are impartial, although I think a few councilors are generally for it and there was at least one councillor there the other night. General emails of support to councillors prob wouldent go a miss though.

 

[Gramsci]

Whats the general experience of those of you more long term Brixton people with this Andrew Czezowski fella? The proposal seems not bad on the face of it to me. What's peoples views?

into a bar restaurant with live music, theatre and home of the Brixton Arts Club.

At the last Brixton central Forum he said his was a purely commercial proposal and he had the money ready.Seems he has looked at rival proposals and come up with this one.

After my experience of Dogstar Larry I must say im cynical.Sounds good but does it mean anything except opening a bar?Promising to put on artists work is meaningless.If u get the planning permission and licence you can do what you want.

The training/work experience due to shortage of staff element is laughable.What lack of staff?Half of Poland is here covering these kind of low paid jobs now.It really is talking bollox to say there a shortage of catering staff.Could be that its so badly paid.

 

[rascal]

So what is the council's position on all this? Are they inviting bids? Or is this (as I suspect) lobbying to persuade them to get off their arses and do something with the building? Have Lambeth they said anything formally about Brady's?

The council have already invited bids, a decision will be made soon. The ABC bid is the only community based bid so it is very difficult for the council not to go with it or they could be challenged in court.

The ABC bid includes support from the Prince of Wales Regeneration trust and Tariq Ali and Harold Pinter, both members of Blacks litery club who are a partner.
LKJ is monitoring progress and has been asked to become a patron.

 

[lang rabbie]

The ABC bid includes support from the Prince of Wales Regeneration trust and Tariq Ali and Harold Pinter, both members of Blacks litery club who are a partner.

LKJ is monitoring progress and has been asked to become a patron.

ROFLMAO

 

[OpalFruit]

The council have already invited bids, a decision will be made soon. The ABC bid is the only community based bid so it is very difficult for the council not to go with it or they could be challenged in court.

.

On what grounds could they be challenged in court? As long as any other bid was within the UDP?

 

[rascal]

Council policy is to dispose of assets to community groups. As far as I know a judicial review can overturn decisions based on stated policy. Will find out from ABC people.

 

[OpalFruit]

Council policy is to dispose of assets to community groups. As far as I know a judicial review can overturn decisions based on stated policy. Will find out from ABC people.

Wow! That's interesting - and good - I thought the council were obliged to sell at market prices for use within the UDP.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

A quick update

I found the old ABC proposal for Brady's when I was clearining my desk earlier and it got me wondering if anything is happening with Brady's.

Interestingly, there is a new website here:
http://www.railwayhotel.org/
...which has got loads of photos taken in and around Brady's by a local photographer called Jeremy Quinn. There's some good shots of the bar and kitchen, the clocks, and also the clock winding mechanism that is totally splattered with pigeon shit! Good stuff anyway - anyone who's a bit of a photo and building trainspotter like me will enjoy the pics!

In terms of the proposal, a new one was developed in September (which can be downloaded here) and they look to have the supoort of the Prince's Regeneration Trust and various local luminaries. Haven't read the new proposal properly yet but they seem to be going big on the community aspect, which clearly they need to since making it simply a bar doesn't really do anything for anyone.

It looks like they're trying to get LBL and/or Govt Office London to dispose of the building cheaply...

more here: www.abcbrixton.org

 

[Crispy]

Looks like a solid proposal, with plenty of momentum.

Whatever happened to the Czezowski commercial bid?

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Have read the proposal in full now. There's a few Urbanites (and ex-urbanites!) quoted in there. Seems decent enough - lots of people potentially wanting to do stuff with a refurbished brady's. But it looks like LBL still have to decide whether to dispose of the building cheaply. And it looks like there may still be other plans for the rest of that "triangle" between atlantic road and electric lane.

 

[editor]

Looking good, but I'm not sure why urban75 isn't listed as a supporter.
Maybe we're not 'official' enough...?

Oh, and there's a few new pics on the feature: http://www.urban75.org/brixton/features/bradys.html

 

[snowy_again]

Have you looked at the Community Assets programme run under the management of the Big Lottery Fund*... its dispersed ownership of "shared" assets (i.e. council owned premises) to an informal range of Vol / Com / Not for Profit organisations.

It could be an option, "Not being official enough" is frequently or only a matter of paper... but the flip side of the arguement is that by disposing of assets, LA's get to shift off expensive (to maintain & keep) properties and put the maintenance costs in the hands of someone else.

* I'll dig out more details tomorrow, when I'm more awake.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Have you looked at the Community Assets programme run under the management of the Big Lottery Fund*... its dispersed ownership of "shared" assets (i.e. council owned premises) to an informal range of Vol / Com / Not for Profit organisations.

I'm pretty sure this is exactly what ABC are trying to persuade Lambeth/Govt Office for London to do.

 

[editor]

An update from abcbrixton:

We're concerned for the future of the project and Brixton in general.

We've been promised a decision now for a year and though we heard very positive noises up until October, we fear that a big nasty commercial scheme might swallow up Bradys.

After 2 years of political engagement we feel that we have a good idea of what is going on in Brixton in and we're concerned at Lambeth's regeneration plans that have been holding up Bradys. We believe these plans may completely change the character and tear the heart out of the Brixton we love.

We feel it is important that everyone interested in getting regeneration right should meet and discuss what they can do. The Bradys project is symbolic - if we can get community ownership then we have a good chance of influencing wider schemes and avoiding the 'social cleansing' which is so often seen in regeneration areas.

If you want to get involved with meetings, please get go to www.abcbrixton.org

 

[twistedAM]

ha ha..just read your piece on Bradys (www.urban75.org/brixton/features/bradys.html) and you mention the Chip Taylor song which was written about playing at one of my country'n'hiphop nights!

 

[linerider]

ha ha..just read your piece on Bradys (www.urban75.org/brixton/features/bradys.html) and you mention the Chip Taylor song which was written about playing at one of my country'n'hiphop nights!

I thought it was my night,that i let you think you ran while i did the door.

 

[twistedAM]

I thought it was my night,that i let you think you ran while i did the door.

ahhhh, so now I know who linerider is

hope all's good mate

if it ever does reopen I trust that they'll employ you as Front of House manager or whatever cool job description is in these days.

Anyway in the meantime, amuse yourself with this:
www.myspace.com/robbiefulks