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Brixton news, rumour and general chat - February 2016

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I see that Stir Coffee on Brixton Hill has just opened up. Anyone been?

Stir Coffee (@Stir_Coffee) on Twitter

Popped in today just after lunchtime and it was busy.
I like the decor. A fond renovation of a nice old shop.
Coffee took its time to come. Americano was small and too hot really to get a grip on the taste (was in a rush).
Veggie sandwich was alright. Both came to 5.9 (sic) which is par or maybe a few pennies below.
Staff seemed newish to the game so service etc should improve but overall I liked the atmosphere.

Lots of customers sitting over a flat white (it's always a fucking flat white) and glaring into a laptop or tablet though, but which coffee shop in London doesn't have these creative residents?
 
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tried it today.
nice (cinnamon) bun, mediocre coffee, slow and distracted service from pleasant but a bit unfocused staff. might have had a dud cup, but the coffee really needs to be better to justify 2.60 for a milky one.
 
tried it today.
nice (cinnamon) bun, mediocre coffee, slow and distracted service from pleasant but a bit unfocused staff. might have had a dud cup, but the coffee really needs to be better to justify 2.60 for a milky one.

For anything over 1.5, I expect a damn fine black coffee (under that I just appreciate the stimulant). Sadly the coffee in most of these so-called "Third Wave" joints is a bit meh. They have the blogged-about beans and the cool Italian machine but sadly I can usually bang out a better americano at home on a 20-year old Krups mini espresso.
 
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Fairly major incident appears to have taken place on Coldharbour Lane opp the Barrier Block. Tape runs along the shops and also on the next corner of Gresham/Barrington.

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Rumour on the street about the CHL incident is that some bloke attacked some kids with a screwdriver...
 
Rumour on the street about the CHL incident is that some bloke attacked some kids with a screwdriver...
If they insist on selling special brew/kestrel etc to these people, maybe they should also dispense Haloperidol to deal with the alcohol induced psychosis.
 
If they insist on selling special brew/kestrel etc to these people, maybe they should also dispense Haloperidol to deal with the alcohol induced psychosis.
It's not known if the rumour is true or if the person had been drinking... I haven't seen Kestrel around for a while, btw. I thought it had been overtaken by cheap strong Polish lager.
 
seems a well known long standing local institution that had been under threat of closure is moving into spacious new premises on brixton road almost opposite jamm
 
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Popped in today just after lunchtime and it was busy.
I like the decor. A fond renovation of a nice old shop.
Coffee took its time to come. Americano was small and too hot really to get a grip on the taste (was in a rush).
Veggie sandwich was alright. Both came to 5.9 (sic) which is par or maybe a few pennies below.
Staff seemed newish to the game so service etc should improve but overall I liked the atmosphere.

Lots of customers sitting over a flat white (it's always a fucking flat white) and glaring into a laptop or tablet though, but which coffee shop in London doesn't have these creative residents?
Ybr cakes, Thornton heath.
 
Lots of customers sitting over a flat white (it's always a fucking flat white) and glaring into a laptop or tablet though, but which coffee shop in London doesn't have these creative residents?
The sight of "creatives" staring intently at their laptops whilst sat in coffee shops fills me with unbridled scorn & derision. I work on a computer all day long, like many people do, and I need a bit of peace & quiet in order to be able to concentrate properly. There is no way in hell I could get any serious work done in a bloody coffee shop! It's hard enough using a laptop on a train, let alone surrounded by people chatting away & slurping their mocha choca latte espresso rubbish.
 
I have heard a rumor that Brixton BID have made a proposal to Lambeth Parks that they take over maintenance of Windrush Square...in return for being able to rent the space out for commercial events. I don't know any further details but the proposal was described to me as welcome.

It seems no coincidence that representatives of night time economy businesses feature heavily on the BID board. The chair is the director of Satay Bar. Others include the owner of Market house, the general manager of the Academy and the owner of Brixton MacDonalds.

This follows recent news of the current planning application by The Brix who have applied to take over St Matthews Peace Gardens. The application includes fitting gates intended to restrict public access to the gardens and place at least ten commercially let parking spaces on part of the lawn. The fifteen page project description devotes only a single line to the proposed commercial event space, which is not even referenced on submitted plans.

These cosy deals to hand over control of public spaces to special interest groups to exploit on a commercial basis are being done in private by Lambeth Parks without any public consultation.
I was wondering what was happening with this.

I'm worried that 'public space' of Windrush sq will just become more rich young peoples drinking space. A lot of Brixton is already dedicated to the bright young things' eating and drinking needs. I'd love a bit of space to be just that - free space - free to use, space for anyone to walk over or sit on.

Is there anything we do to stop windrush sq becoming some private outdoor bar?
 
Rumour on the street about the CHL incident is that some bloke attacked some kids with a screwdriver...
Any further on this? They seemed to be dusting and finger printing the Jerk Chicken shop door when I came past at about 4.30 pm.
 
I was wondering what was happening with this.

I'm worried that 'public space' of Windrush sq will just become more rich young peoples drinking space. A lot of Brixton is already dedicated to the bright young things' eating and drinking needs. I'd love a bit of space to be just that - free space - free to use, space for anyone to walk over or sit on.

Is there anything we do to stop windrush sq becoming some private outdoor bar?

Perhaps we should take a leaf out of the book of the Ramblers Association and exercise our 'right to roam'.
 
I was wondering what was happening with this.

I'm worried that 'public space' of Windrush sq will just become more rich young peoples drinking space. A lot of Brixton is already dedicated to the bright young things' eating and drinking needs. I'd love a bit of space to be just that - free space - free to use, space for anyone to walk over or sit on.

Is there anything we do to stop windrush sq becoming some private outdoor bar?
The council did clamp down on the Ritzy's expansions it ambitions - but as far as I can gather this was because Ritzy had paid to greatly expand their drinking area temporarily and then assumed it was a permanent done deal.

I think that happened about 2010 - it was certainly covered here (with photos).

Technically it is a park - and subject to the rules for booking parks.

However if the space is transferred to Brixton BID anything could happen. Maybe the current fashion for shipping containers might take hold?

Public loo in a shipping container - to supplement the perfectly good George V ones which are unopenable?
 
The council did clamp down on the Ritzy's expansions it ambitions - but as far as I can gather this was because Ritzy had paid to greatly expand their drinking area temporarily and then assumed it was a permanent done deal.

I think that happened about 2010 - it was certainly covered here (with photos).

Technically it is a park - and subject to the rules for booking parks.

However if the space is transferred to Brixton BID anything could happen. Maybe the current fashion for shipping containers might take hold?

Public loo in a shipping container - to supplement the perfectly good George V ones which are unopenable?
That won't happen because it is Rush Common protected land. More likely is lots of boozy temporary ticketed events like the Coors Lite affair and private promoters, though not necessarily quite so elaborate in construction terms.
 
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The council did clamp down on the Ritzy's expansions it ambitions - but as far as I can gather this was because Ritzy had paid to greatly expand their drinking area temporarily and then assumed it was a permanent done deal.

I think that happened about 2010 - it was certainly covered here (with photos).

Technically it is a park - and subject to the rules for booking parks.

However if the space is transferred to Brixton BID anything could happen. Maybe the current fashion for shipping containers might take hold?

Public loo in a shipping container - to supplement the perfectly good George V ones which are unopenable?
Given how utterly inept they were defending their members' businesses in the Arches - and the fact that they resorted to taking traders to court to force them to pay the unwanted BID levy - I have a feeling of impending dread if they get their hands on the square.
 
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