Brixton is a village and local businesses need to ensure they are engaged with the local community.

[Boudicca]

Setting aside what he has done or not done in the past, I do find the tone of the blog aggressive and it certainly does not encourage me to participate. He needs to understand how tough it is for small businesses at the moment.

I used to have a shop in Granville Arcade and there were always people coming in asking for donations. You have to be there with your door open, you are a sitting target but you can't say yes to everyone. He might be better to approach the more hidden Brixton businesses, tucked in offices in the back streets, who could benefit from the publicity.

 

[Gramsci]

I agree with you Boudicca. Ive checked and this does look like it is his blog and not some troll.

Im surprised at the tone. It is threatening.

Also the blog says that:

"Brixton Splash Ltd is a non-profit company that supports economic development and employment opportunities for young people"

The BS website states it is a yearly festival to celebrate Brixtons diversity. So this aspect of it is new. Makes it more into a all year pressure group.

 

[editor]

"Support my organisation or your name's goin' on da list"

 

[MAD-T-REX]

Heh, his blog post on John Terry ends with "This perverse judgment should be appealed." I'm not sure he gets acquittals.

 

[urbanspaceman]

Jasper's (leejasper) twitter feed contains a long list of businesses that have failed to "engage" as he puts it. Or declined to hand over money to his company as I would put it. Brixton Splash is a not-for-profit company, not a registered charity.

He accuses:

@BrixtonSundownr
@velocal
@Brixton_Bugle
@iheartbrixton
@BrixtonEXP
@Kaosarn_Brixton
@loungebrixton
@CourtesanDimSum
@KaffBar
@NourCashCarry
@RosieLovell
@MamaLans
@honestburgers
@brixcornercopia
@bellantonis
@TheAgileRabbit
@sevenatbrixton


And this was on his Facebook feed:

"This 'hair & beauty" shop refused point blank to support Brixton Splash 2012 and were rude to boot. Why do we shop with people who treat us with contempt ? Beauty Choice Cosmetics -33 Atlantic Road Brixton, London SW9 8JL Why not ring and ask them? 020 7274 3358"​

So the nail bars, halal butchers and hipster restaurants have all disappointed Jasper. These places employ hundreds of people, pay their rents and taxes, and provide a dizzying variety of services to the people of Brixton/Lambeth/London and to New York Times readers. That's more than Jasper has ever done, and it's good enough for me.

 

[OpalFruit]

My advice to Brixton Splash would be to turn the question on themselves and start engaging with the business community earlier on the year and be nice! It takes ages to encourage someone to sponsor an event or make a significant donation.

Also, maybe I am readng it all wrong, but while multiculturalism does seem to be thriving in Brixton, to Brixton's benefit, making a stand to protect one community only is perhaps not the way to approach a wide diversity of businesses.
The diversity of Briton is becoming more diverse - with a rise over the last 10 years of the Latin / Portuguese / S American businesses, and others. Many of the Windrush generation retired back to the Caribbean and (some of) their grandchildren shop in Tesco, Lidl and M&S. Others sold up in Brixton and moved to places like Purley.

Sadly the arcades were also emptying out before the current food places moved in. When LAP, or possibly the owners before them, moved in, they immediately raised rents by 30% and businesses started closing. It was because the arcades were so empty that Spacemakers were called in. Remember all the long gone arcade shops? The batik fabric shop shrunk, the purveyors of massive sea-going trunks closed down - many of the Caribbean and West African businesses were already leaving. It is a growing myth that the restaurants are squeezng out the Windrush Generation.

Brixton is a part of London. Rents go up everywhere.

 

[fortyplus]

Naming and shaming those who didn't sponsor is, frankly, unacceptable. We're not on his list, yet, but after this I'm quite sure we won't be sponsoring it. We know and talk to lots of the business owners on that list, and they will not be happy; I don't suppose they're likely to sponsor next year either.
There are plenty of reasons why local businesses decide not to sponsor these things, usually connected with time as much as money. Sponsorship, to be effective, has to be followed up; if you just pay your money and hope for the punters to flock to your shop as a result you'll be disappointed; the follow-up needs management effort diverted from something else. It's a judgement call, and we may have called it wrong by ignoring Brixton Splash this Olympic year, but I suspect not.

To imply that we're turning our backs on the community by turning down this offer is insulting; to name and shame is verging on malicious.

If he hopes for any local business support in 2013, he needs to apologise, publicly and graciously now.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

I wouldn't hold your breath.

 

[DietCokeGirl]

I also wonder =how= these businesses were approached. I get plenty of mailshots and cold callers, both in work and at home and dismiss them immediately out of principle.Brixton Splash is a new and not especially well-known name. Networking and relationship building go a long way to help to be taken seriously, rather than sending out an unexpected 'sponsorship pack'.

 

[claphamboy]

I've been involved in organising various community and charity events over the years, it's a bit of a bummer getting turned down by potential sponsors, but that's life, there's a lot of call on their resources, I would never have even thought of 'naming & shaming' those that didn't take up the offer of a sponsorship opportunity for whatever reason, that just beggars belief - in fact it seems like blackmail to me, very nasty.

 

[claphamboy]

I also wonder =how= these businesses were approached. I get plenty of mailshots and cold callers, both in work and at home and dismiss them immediately out of principle.Brixton Splash is a new and not especially well-known name. Networking and relationship building go a long way to help to be taken seriously, rather than sending out an unexpected 'sponsorship pack'.

Indeed, on the flip side of my previous post I've been approached for sponsorship for events (as a station manager at a 24/7 pirate radio station in Ireland during the 80s, as the group special project manager of a small independent family owned free newspaper group and as publisher of my own 25,000 print-run free monthly what's on magazine) when money was tight, but I could offer a contra-deal of free advertising/air-time/interviews/editorial, but even then there were limits on what airtime and space was available, I couldn't help every single approach.

One thing for sure, if I knew that by not offering support I would be 'blacklisted', be buggered if I would support that event, there's no way I would be blackmailed into something like that.

 

[Pickman's model]

Resigned as advisor to Ken Livingstone after showing very poor judgement on a number of issues.
He let us down.

but most of all he let himself down

 

[Pickman's model]

One thing for sure, if I knew that by not offering support I would be 'blacklisted', be buggered if I would support that event, there's no way I would be blackmailed into something like that.

i'm sure we can find something proper to blackmail you with into attending.

 

[boohoo]

Brixton Splash should sponsor the Brixton village for bringing in new people to Brixton all of the year!

 

[claphamboy]

i'm sure we can find something proper to blackmail you with into attending.

I doubt anyone could find anything on me to be able to blackmail me into anything nowadays ( ), any wrong doings and the darker sides of my life were never that major, and are many years behind me anyway, thank God, it does make life easier not having to worry about any skeletons popping out of the cupboard when you least expect them TBH.

 

[urbanspaceman]

Here's Jasper's response to my comment on Brixtonblog.

Urbanspaceman
The general culture of private sector engagement with community organisations is poor through the UK. Our difficulty relates not to our approach the reality is some Brixton’s business have rarely of ever sponsored local community organisations. That culture need to change its important that at time of austerity cuts that business reassess the extent to which they are embedded in the local community of Brixton. Brixton Splash intend to spark that debate by simply educating local consumers about those business that demonstrate their commitment to local community initiatives . In the autumn we will be holding public debate about these issues in order to raise general awareness about the potential for local business to help address in partnership the many burgeoning issues facing communities in Lambeth.
Your comment seems to wilfully miss the point that Brixton Splash while we asked for financial support we also asked for help in kind in particular support for local employment, secondments or mentor opportunities for unemployed young people. We think its important that the local community can make informed choices about where they choose to spend their money as they do when considering ethical sourcing of goods or environmental l concerns. Social responsibility of local business is a legitimate concern
The point here is that we believe that all business could contribute something toward tackling the serious social problems that are becoming acute in areas like Brixton. That is not the case currently and that has to change if we are to promote the development of cohesive communities and thriving local economies.
That surely is a goal we all share.

 

[Badgers]

Did Brick Box contribute?

 

[editor]

Did Brick Box contribute?

Apparently not.

Many of the new restaurants and cafes in central Brixton have also simply refused to support the event. Most have, to date not even had the courtesy to acknowledge our appeal. Sam Marino Café refused, as did all of the businesses in the Village.
http://leejasper.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[northsouthfood]

Jasper's (leejasper) twitter feed contains a long list of businesses that have failed to "engage" as he puts it. Or declined to hand over money to his company as I would put it. Brixton Splash is a not-for-profit company, not a registered charity.

He accuses:

@BrixtonSundownr
@velocal
@Brixton_Bugle
@iheartbrixton
@BrixtonEXP
@Kaosarn_Brixton
@loungebrixton
@CourtesanDimSum
@KaffBar
@NourCashCarry
@RosieLovell
@MamaLans
@honestburgers
@brixcornercopia
@bellantonis
@TheAgileRabbit
@sevenatbrixton

Half the people listed above aren't even businesses! Iheartbrixton is a Twitter account that suggests drycleaners and dinner plans to people. The Bugle has had one copy so far. Has Sundownr ever even happened? And the rest are mainly new businesses who may not have the resources to engage in their first year. His approach sounds scattergun. I wonder if he's linked up Brixton Pound or any of the non profit employment brokers in the borough (not A4E types) to maximise interest and make businesses feel confident about what's going on?

I'd like to see more local businesses being community minded, but I'm not sure yelling at them, offering limited info about the updated aims of Splash and then bad mouthing them is the way to get them on board and it probably causes long term damage.

 

[editor]

Half the people listed above aren't even businesses! Iheartbrixton is a Twitter account that suggests drycleaners and dinner plans to people. The Bugle has had one copy so far.

FYI: the Brixton_Bugle is the BrixtonBlog. I'd say they're already doing their bit to publicise Brixton.

 

[Onket]

And anyway, since when has it been acceptable to post up a link to your blog & fuck off, without even attempting to enter into the debate?

 

[quimcunx]

Don't they claim fabulous advantages to sponsoring brixton splash? Surely that should be bigging them up with much thanks for their contribution not just not slagging them off along with anyone else who has resisted their charming invitation for whatever reason.

 

[OpalFruit]

Mentoring and training young people is a serious business. It is time consuming, and if done properly demands some training on behalf of the mentee / trainer. Getting good valuable workplace experience is essential for young people in Brixton, but again it takes a particular approach to get businesses to engage and be able to take on the role effectively. I don't suppose many of the tiny kitchen-and-no-office space businesses in the arcades can even physically accommodate a teenager-in-training. Maybe family businesses have family members as apprentices. Brixton Splash need to consult and engage and be realistic - and hopefully then be successful in making a positive impact.

However, having seen LJ support so many dodgy 'youth programmes' (including on the outskirts of Brixton at the Offley Rd centre) I would not engage with this particular outfit. I would work with other reputable voluntary sector organisations.

Shame, because as a festival Brixton Splash is a good day.

 

[boohoo]

Mentoring and training young people is a serious business. It is time consuming, and if done properly demands some training on behalf of the mentee / trainer. Getting good valuable workplace experience is essential for young people in Brixton, but again it takes a particular approach to get businesses to engage and be able to take on the role effectively. I don't suppose many of the tiny kitchen-and-no-office space businesses in the arcades can even physically accommodate a teenager-in-training. Maybe family businesses have family members as apprentices. Brixton Splash need to consult and engage and be realistic - and hopefully then be successful in making a positive impact.

It's a huge responsibility too. Most small businesses do not have the experience or resource to do this. Having a bad work experience would not be ideal for an unemployed young person.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

trying to get businesses into doing apprenticeships is a big thing. i'm on the teaching side of things and it's a bit of a mess. it's often not got a solid enough concept of what an apprenticship is. it's the bastered offspring of the future jobs fund and jobcenter trainting

 

[editor]

I've been asked a fair few times about taking on interns for urban75. Much as I love the idea, with no office and no income it's not really possible, and seeing as it's a glorified hobby, I'm not sure what use I'd be anyway.

 

[Rushy]

Mentoring and training young people is a serious business. It is time consuming, and if done properly demands some training on behalf of the mentee / trainer. Getting good valuable workplace experience is essential for young people in Brixton, but again it takes a particular approach to get businesses to engage and be able to take on the role effectively. I don't suppose many of the tiny kitchen-and-no-office space businesses in the arcades can even physically accommodate a teenager-in-training. Maybe family businesses have family members as apprentices. Brixton Splash need to consult and engage and be realistic - and hopefully then be successful in making a positive impact.

However, having seen LJ support so many dodgy 'youth programmes' (including on the outskirts of Brixton at the Offley Rd centre) I would not engage with this particular outfit. I would work with other reputable voluntary sector organisations.

Shame, because as a festival Brixton Splash is a good day.

And LJ does not seem to be offering any support at all. Just telling people that they want mentors 'or else'. He needs to lead by example but does not have the skills to do so.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I've been asked a fair few times about taking on interns for urban75. Much as I love the idea, with no office and no income it's not really possible, and seeing as it's a glorified hobby, I'm not sure what use I'd be anyway.

You could give a 16-year-old moderator duties on the Politics forum

 

[editor]

You could give a 16-year-old moderator duties on the Politics forum

I think that would put them off work for life.

 

[northsouthfood]

FYI: the Brixton_Bugle is the BrixtonBlog. I'd say they're already doing their bit to publicise Brixton.

Exactly. They are a different name for something already promoting the hell out of Brixton and just starting out in a paper form that is mean to be inclusive to those not online and Lee Jasper thinks it's beneficial to badmouth them...