Brixton Chitter Chatter and News - June 2012

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I'm still not entirely sure what this all means.

Good drinkers are acceptable outside the Ritzy/in Windrush Square. Bad drinkers are not.

Or is it something else that's confusing you?

 

[Badgers]

Good drinkers are acceptable outside the Ritzy/in Windrush Square. Bad drinkers are not.

Research was done today. The lead researcher will be along tomorrow to share public opinion

 

[Orang Utan]

Good drinkers are acceptable outside the Ritzy/in Windrush Square. Bad drinkers are not.

Or is it something else that's confusing you?

We weren't talking about the Ritzy! Editor's comment came during the discussion about the imaginary patrons of Federation Coffee who wave their iPads around

 

[Badgers]

We weren't talking about the Ritzy! Editor's comment came during the discussion about the imaginary patrons of Federation Coffee who wave their iPads around

Why would they wave them around?

 

[Orang Utan]

Why would they wave them around?

Indeed

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Research was done today. The lead researcher will be along tomorrow to share public opinion

You mean paolo 'Right. I surveyed a couple of people in the square' lead researcher?

 

[Badgers]

Indeed

It may have been a hot day?

Anyway the matter is trivial. I am still bothered by the clash of the (Franco Manca vs Agile Rabbit) titans debate that people are avoiding. Man (and woman) up people

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

We weren't talking about the Ritzy! Editor's comment came during the discussion about the imaginary patrons of Federation Coffee who wave their iPads around

ah, you getting confused is confusing me. As you were

 

[Badgers]

You mean paolo 'Right. I surveyed a couple of people in the square' lead researcher?

I was there as a 'control group'

 

[editor]

Indeed

You're a bit obsessed about this. I don't mean literally waving them about in the air. But, whatever. It's too dull a point to pursue.

However, what I'm seeing happening in parts of Brixton is what I saw happening to the Lower East Side of New York years ago and it depresses the fuck out of me.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I was there as a 'control group'

Who was the other person in the 'group'?

 

[Badgers]

Who was the other person in the 'group'?

My wife and the other wife.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

My wife and the other wife.

Is she called Bwian?

 

[Brixton Hatter]

CH1 posted this vid somewhere else and I watched it earlier. I thought it was worth posting again - a great litle 12 min documentary about dominoes, set in Brixton.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

I never fully understand these updates, but looks like the contract for Raleigh Hall is being rebooted? http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/moderngov/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=28060

Yeah, looks like a retender because the original building firm went bust. It's included in that paper because it is a 'major decision' i.e. one that will save or cost the council more than £500,000. I guess it is the latter.

Also included in that paper was something worryingly titled "localisation of council tax" - couldn't see any more info (other than there might be a consultation) but would they really be proposing differential council tax rates depending on where you live in the borough?

 

[CH1]

CH1 posted this vid somewhere else and I watched it earlier. I thought it was worth posting again - a great litle 12 min documentary about dominoes, set in Brixton.

Not me dear boy - must be Tom.

GW is a charming man who I first met in 1994 when I was a newly elected councillor. He phoned me up and invited over to the Domino Club to expound his views - a "Theory of Everything" it could be called.

He is very much an extremist (like me)

He believes (and I'm hoping I am not putting words in his mouth here):

That black people and white people should mix a lot socially and get on well together

That people should pay more attention to the Queen and the Archbishop of Canterbury and less to politicians

That St John the Divine in Vassall Road have the most dignified and fragrant church services in the Brixton area

He also believes strongly in Credit Unions. I part with him on that one - as a saver. But he is quite right to identify that poorer people are being exploited by Barclaycard and Payday Loans.

Thanks for posting!

 

[CH1]

Also included in that paper was something worryingly titled "localisation of council tax" - couldn't see any more info (other than there might be a consultation) but would they really be proposing differential council tax rates depending on where you live in the borough?

Bad news for us in Coldharbour Ward then. They'll bump ours up to pay for the enhancements brought by Barratt Homes!!!

 

[Mrs Magpie]

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

That St John the Divine in Vassall Road have the most dignified and fragrant church services in the Brixton area

Fragrant?

 

[CH1]

Fragrant?

Yes - absolutely oodles of incense - at all times!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Bad news for us in Coldharbour Ward then. They'll bump ours up to pay for the enhancements brought by Barratt Homes!!!

So does that mean the richer middle classes will move to the tattier parts of Brixton to avoid higher council tax thereby pushing up their property prices?

 

[Brixton Hatter]

So does that mean the richer middle classes will move to the tattier parts of Brixton to avoid higher council tax thereby pushing up their property prices?

I've no idea. There was literally no info to be found. I don't really want to set hares running with this one, but when they talk about "localisation" of pay in the public sector, what they mean is paying people less who live in less weathier parts of the country, e.g. the north east. I can't really see how there could be *any* fair way of charging different council tax rates. Many taxes are supposed to be redistributive anyway.

E2A: it's actually about council tax benefit.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/c...mittee/news/rerpot---localn-welfare-benefits/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/local-gov...-betts-localisation-council-tax-risk-illusion

 

[Chilavert]

Localising CTB allows Government to take £500m out of the benefit system whilst blaming councils for deciding how this should be implemented on the ground. The Government will however protect a number of groups from having their CTB cut, so it's inevitable that the poorest people will face the biggest reductions. Classic Tory policy.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Thanks for the clarification.

Localising CTB allows Government to take £500m out of the benefit system whilst blaming councils for deciding how this should be implemented on the ground. The Government will however protect a number of groups from having their CTB cut, so it's inevitable that the poorest people will face the biggest reductions. Classic Tory policy.

Lambeth is of course a Cooperative Council, so they will be able to blame residents for how it's implemented on the ground

 

[CH1]

Proposal for a low-cost upgrade of Coldharbour Open space

 

[London_Calling]

Good drinkers are acceptable outside the Ritzy/in Windrush Square. Bad drinkers are not.

Or is it something else that's confusing you?

Assuming it's still operational, it'd be interesting to how the Ritzy quaffing zone squares with the Town Centre Dispersal Zone.

 

[Casaubon]

CH1 posted this vid somewhere else and I watched it earlier. I thought it was worth posting again - a great litle 12 min documentary about dominoes, set in Brixton.

Back in the 80s the GLC sponsored an art prize called, I think, the Spirit of London.
A Brixton painter, Don Morgans, won it with a painting of domino players in the Atlantic (the Dogstar).
The painting was hung in County Hall and became the property of the GLC, I think.

Does anyone have any idea what might have become of the picture after the dissolution of the GLC, or how to find out?

Here’s a painting that Don did for an album cover - 1984 I think, on Station Rd when it was a sort of flea/second hand market.

 

[CH1]

Plenty of tables outside the Ritzy this afternoon - and that delightfully hunky security guard to protect the punters. Interesting facial hair design. I asked a punter if he was "occupying". He was sat at as table smoking. Middle aged, certainly 50+. "Qué?" he responded.
"Yes, you know this is all very controversial on the internet don't you. The Ritzy putting table out on the quare and all."
"Is it?" he said vilently, nearly jumping out of his chair. The he waved me away.
Another Brixton nutter!
I just had a 2 hour meeting with the Church Urban Fund, and was quite unable to contemplate a wrestling match with security - tasty or not.
So I beat it to Iceland. (But that's another story).

 

[Casaubon]

Back in the 80s the GLC sponsored an art prize called, I think, the Spirit of London.
A Brixton painter, Don Morgans, won it with a painting of domino players in the Atlantic (the Dogstar).
The painting was hung in County Hall and became the property of the GLC, I think.

Does anyone have any idea what might have become of the picture after the dissolution of the GLC, or how to find out?

Here’s a painting that Don did for an album cover - 1984 I think, on Station Rd when it was a sort of flea/second hand market.

Sorry, here's the picture.

 

[fortyplus]

However, what I'm seeing happening in parts of Brixton is what I saw happening to the Lower East Side of New York years ago and it depresses the fuck out of me.

And, in my darker moments, out of me.

Twenty-plus years ago, if I told "outsiders" - work colleagues, acquaintances from college, inlaws etc - that I lived in Brixton, the response was usually, "that's a bit rough isn't it?" or somesuch. And then, not long after, the responses started sometimes to be more like "oh, cool!". The iPad-toting hipsters are just the latest manifestation of the change in public perception of Brixton from dodgy ghetto to hip hangout; and I'm sure U75 has played a part in changing that perception.

Or, to put it another way, stop moaning you mardy get, it was you who started all this hipsterization what with your fancy bulletin board and everything.....