Brixton news, rumour and general chat - August 2014

[Rushy]

This is most awesome news. I've long yearned for a proper big hardware shop nearby. There's a couple of tiddly sized ones in Brixton but I don't like small hardware shops - they really only work for people who know what they're doing & what it is they actually want. I like supermarket style hardware shops where you can walk around looking at all the gubbins, trying to work out what everything is and what it might be useful for.

Only thing is, I'm not certain how they are set up. Some are a bit like Argos but with more knowledgeable counter staff who can often advise.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

This is probably only exciting for me but Screwfix are opening tomorrow in Brixton!

(Here On the Lyham Road industrial estate.)

Oh, how exciting

 

[Chilavert]

Can someone confirm whether the arrival of Screwfix is another sign of gentrification?

If it is I'll sharpen my pitchfork, othewise I'll just buy some tungsten-tipped screws.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Did anyone notice the foxes' chorus last night up Brixton Hill? It was somewhen after 10p.m. in the gardens bordered by Branksome, Winterwell, Haycroft and Bonham Roads. Sounded like a proper vulpine beano/tear up.

No, but there's a few resident ones in the estate next to Jebb Avenue that have regular rucks. It's a disturbing noise

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Can someone confirm whether the arrival of Screwfix is another sign of gentrification?

If it is I'll sharpen my pitchfork, othewise I'll just buy some tungsten-tipped screws.

Looking at the price of their carpet grippers.... they're obviously for the rich!

 

[CH1]

Can someone confirm whether the arrival of Screwfix is another sign of gentrification?
If it is I'll sharpen my pitchfork, othewise I'll just buy some tungsten-tipped screws.

It does appear to be in the former Employment Service Skillcentre. So I guess it is another nail in the coffin of time when proper (and properly resourced) job training was employed for unemployed people in south London.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

It does appear to be in the former Employment Service Skillcentre. So I guess it is another nail in the coffin of time when proper (and properly resourced) job training was employed for unemployed people in south London.

Dole sent me there years ago to learn how to type. They were a bit surprised to discover I could already type almost 100wpm

 

[sparkybird]

This is most awesome news. I've long yearned for a proper big hardware shop nearby. There's a couple of tiddly sized ones in Brixton but I don't like small hardware shops - they really only work for people who know what they're doing & what it is they actually want. I like supermarket style hardware shops where you can walk around looking at all the gubbins, trying to work out what everything is and what it might be useful for.

Screwfix just have a counter and a catalogue - like Argos, so you can't have a mosey round unfortunately. I don't really rate their stuff. Used to get my MK sockets from them, but had so many problems with them, that I now use a local wholesaler - same brand of sockets, 5p more expensive - no problems. Lead me to think that SF get second rate stuff from the manufacturers

They are open 7 days a week though, so helpful if you've forgotten something for that Monday morning job!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Screwfix just have a counter and a catalogue - like Argos, so you can't have a mosey round unfortunately. I don't really rate their stuff. Used to get my MK sockets from them, but had so many problems with them, that I now use a local wholesaler - same brand of sockets, 5p more expensive - no problems. Lead me to think that SF get second rate stuff from the manufacturers

They are open 7 days a week though, so helpful if you've forgotten something for that Monday morning job!

Have just had a look at their Stanley Knives. Cheaper on Amazon

Their search is crap as well. Searching for carpet metals is no good. Luckily you can search for "carpet" though and it lists them as "carpet strips"

eta: Never realised it's like Argos and you can't get to look at the stuff and handle it

 

[cesare]

The Screwfix near me was pretty woeful when it opened up. Staff not trained though very nice and apologetic. They do have some things on sale in the customer area but they're mostly impulse buys eg extension leads.

 

[Gramsci]

did you get a reply yet?

No I have not. I expect I will not get one.

 

[Thaw]

I don't like small hardware shops - they really only work for people who know what they're doing & what it is they actually want.

I've always had pretty much the opposite experience. I could just go into Howard Bros. in Camberwell and have a chat with the guys and they would sort out exactly what I need when I don't have a clue. Wickes staff seem to know their stuff though.

 

[thatguyhex]

I didn't know that there is a Brixton in Johannesburg (and it is currently being gentrified):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brixton,_Gauteng

Neat. Before I lived in Brixton I lived in Leytonstone, which has a South African contingent in its population, and was amused to discover that there are a couple of places named after it in South Africa too.

 

[peterkro]

Can someone confirm whether the arrival of Screwfix is another sign of gentrification?

If it is I'll sharpen my pitchfork, othewise I'll just buy some tungsten-tipped screws.

Sharpen your pitchfork.Brixton for years was home to (and here I can't remember the full name but something like) DSJ Engineers supplies on Acre lane one of the biggest fixings suppliers in the country (yes the person with the pink mobile gun [it was different colours at different times]).
Screwfix are a bunch of cunts.
ETA,GSJ now I think about it.

 

[twistedAM]

My favourite shop in Brixton is still GSF Parts; admittedly not very useful for those who don't drive German, Swedish or French cars.

 

[editor]

Here comes the rain alright!

 

[Miss-Shelf]

Here comes the rain alright!

Or not alright as it woke me up

 

[Miss-Shelf]

And now the fox is making a racket outside my window trying to make off with a sack of dog food...

 

[simonSW2]

Screwfix have attached flags advertising their arrival in our town on all the lamp-posts along the main drag at Brixton.

A bit dramatic for a shop that just sells nails and shit.

I think our lamp-posts should be ad-free personally, reserved for christmas lights / art / things about Brixton, but of course I'm just a demented idealist and I'm sure all the revenue the council gets is being ploughed back into local, social causes.

 

[colacubes]

I've just had a massive Screwfix opening leaflet with the post

 

[editor]

Screwfix have attached flags advertising their arrival in our town on all the lamp-posts along the main drag at Brixton.

A bit dramatic for a shop that just sells nails and shit.

I think our lamp-posts should be ad-free personally, reserved for christmas lights / art / things about Brixton, but of course I'm just a demented idealist and I'm sure all the revenue the council gets is being ploughed back into local, social causes.

I agree completely. It looks well tacky.

 

[Chilavert]

I've just had a massive Screwfix opening leaflet with the post

I had 4 in my postbox.

 

[editor]

Here's the latest burst of Brixton news from Buzz for discussion;

• Lambeth council launches photo competition to capture ‘happy’ cyclists
• Grammy award winning Soul, Jazz and Funk maestro Gregory Porter releases a new promo video filmed exclusively in Brixton
• Spectra beam of light in the night sky, as seen from Ruskin Park, south London
• Brixton breweries get set to showcase their beer and ale at The London Beer City festival
• Spectra beam of light in the night sky, as seen from Ruskin Park, south London

I've grown to really like that beam of light.

 

[shakespearegirl]

We had some street planter boxes planted on the weekend with the help of the Freshview team. Half the plants have been stolen out of the boxes already

 

[leanderman]

We had some street planter boxes planted on the weekend with the help of the Freshview team. Half the plants have been stolen out of the boxes already

Welcome to my world.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

We had some street planter boxes planted on the weekend with the help of the Freshview team. Half the plants have been stolen out of the boxes already

I saw some up Morrish Road the other day and wondered whether Freshview had done them. Waste of time considering how tatty that street is. Someone really needs to have a word with the council/shops/whoever's responsible for all the rubbish along that stretch as I reckon it's one of the filthiest side streets off Brixton Hill

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Yep, I was right

http://brixtonhill.net/tag/morrish-road/

Now CNBC have picked up the hard work of Sulina and Morrish Road residents in their feature on ‘secret gardens’ in London. They quoted Charmian Kenner, the well-known chair of the local residents’ association: “We’ve discovered that if you put any kinds of plants or flowers on the street, this deters people from dumping rubbish. They begin to see the area in a different way. If you make the area look nice and attractive it no longer conjures up thoughts of dumping rubbish.”

 

[shakespearegirl]

Somers road seems to have become a favoured dumping ground since Lambeth started charging to collect large waste

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Somers road seems to have become a favoured dumping ground since Lambeth started charging to collect large waste

Renton Close (next to the Prison) and the top of Elm Park are seeing their fair share as well

 

[sleaterkinney]

There's an evening of musical favourites from World War one on in Ruskin Park tomorrow.

http://ow.ly/i/6thVX