Brixton news, rumours and general chat: Autumn 2019

[Gramsci]

To be clear, the police shooting of Cherry Groce was an appalling act of unfathomable incompetence, aggravated by the ridiculous 29 years it took for the Met to apologise.

But.

Cherry Groce was an ordinary person. As the BBC website says, “She died in April 2011 having spent 26 years in a wheelchair, but little else is known about Mrs Groce”. She left little in the way of a “legacy”, as supporters of this memorial claim. Is it proportionate to erect a memorial 35 years after the event to commemorate this one tragedy ?

Perhaps it would be more fitting to erect a more inclusive memorial in the shape of a stone plaque, bearing a commemorative roll of the names of everybody who has died in Brixton as a result of gun or knife violence over the past 35 years, while leaving sufficient space for future victims.

As a secondary consideration, before adding more features to Windrush Square, Lambeth Council should attend to some of the existing problems:

1) failed rising bollards facing Rushcroft Road
2) failed fountain
3) failed strip lights set into steps of the plinth surrounding the plane tree
4) failed lights on the lighting poles
5) yellowing, damaged and dying turf
6) subsiding and broken paving
7) bent cycle racks and abandoned bikes

References
www.cherrygroce.org
Charity Details

Cherry Grove does have a memorial blue plaque outside the house she lived in. I cycle by it.

I think the plaque is good way to commenerate a women shot and crippled by the Met.

I think you are right to bring up the issue of the poor upkeep of Windrush Square. I see the leader of Council Cllr Hopkins supports a memorial in Windrush Square for Cherry Groce.

He should be first ensuring that Windrush Square is properly maintained.

Windrush Square was made as a sign of respect to those from the Carribbean who came to Brixton. Yet the Council doesn't maintain it properly. Which imo is an insult to the Windrush generation.

So yes the Council should sort out the maintenance of this Square which was established as a tribute to the Windrush generation.

The Friends of Windrush Square ( an off shoot of Brixton Society) have done a lot to lobby Council and do voluntary work to improve it.

The Council should ensure adequate funds are available for maintaining the Square.

 

[Gramsci]

I'd quite like to see a memorial to all the people who have died after contact with the police or in custody, in that square right outside the police station.

I think this is good idea.

The cops have their own memorial near the Mall. So why shouldn't victims of the cops have theirs?

 

[Gramsci]

When you say 'very good', I guess that something which provokes a strong reaction is obviously powerful.

But that film led me to levels of depression where I have never been before with a film. It has been about five years, and your mention of it has me shaking my head and shuddering.

Not how I saw it.

I thought it was great that a British filmmaker could make a sympathetic film of an Irish person standing up to British Imperialism.

 

[Smick]

Not how I saw it.

I thought it was great that a British filmmaker could make a sympathetic film of an Irish person standing up to British Imperialism.

I’m from Belfast, so it probably took on a different meaning for me.

But even with the guys on the blanket and the dirty protest, it’s so visceral. It made my flesh crawl.

The scene with Bobby Sands and the priest in prison was so well filmed.

 

[ViolentPanda]

The article states:


Therefore, whoever commissioned Sir David Adjaye OBE to design the memorial will be best placed to provide a factual response to your query.

Hopefully, they will respond to you.

Adjaye Associates won the competition to design a Holocaust memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens, next to Parliament. It looks like a giant fucking toast-rack.

 

[happyshopper]

Piece in the Guardian from David Adjaye about his approach to architecture here David Adjaye: ‘Love, death and memory… it’s all in a building’s DNA’

 

[CH1]

Piece in the Guardian from David Adjaye about his approach to architecture here David Adjaye: ‘Love, death and memory… it’s all in a building’s DNA’

Nice one. Seems to me that architects are about as popular as bankers on Urban75 - except for Ted Hollamby of course.
But just because Ted Hollamby broguht us Cressingham Gardens, don't forget he also designed the Brandon Estate and ended his career working for the Docklands Development Corporation throwing up Canary Wharf etc.

David Adjaye sounds a nice chap. The sort of person to end up on a sofa with Mary Beard on BBC2 late at night. I have to say the pictures in the Observer article about the Ruby City seem very austere and rectilinear. Not only that his use of reddish building materials does not detract from the neo brutalist nature of the design. For all its worth it could be pink reinforced concrete.

Can I volunteer to do a stint on Mary Beard's sofa with David Adjaye? Surely he could do with a course in organic and spiritual architecture at Rudolph Steiner House. Failing that a visit to Barcelona to study modernisme would help him a lot in pleasing my eye.

Look at these ventilation ducts on the roof of the Casa Milia in Barcelona. Where is the imagination these days which can compete with this?

 

[Gramsci]

Piece in the Guardian from David Adjaye about his approach to architecture here David Adjaye: ‘Love, death and memory… it’s all in a building’s DNA’

Its all very well for Adjaye to talk about his prize public projects. Thats fair enough.

What he does not understand is that commercial bread and butter work such as his plans for Brixton Market are not to be treated in this same way.

I've no problem with him bigging up his prestige projects but its when he starts talking bollocks like this about the Hondo enterprises plans for Brixton I have a problem:

Adjaye said: “This project fits into a narrative that is incredibly important to me, making civic and social spaces that are about bringing in diverse constituents both locally and from the city and its visitors”. He said it would be “socially constructed architecture that can edify the community”. Taking on this project, he “could see the incredible opportunity it had to elevate the experience and give back to the community”.

No Adjaye. This Hondo enterprises plan fits a "narrative" of the further gentrification of Brixton.

Like I said I've no problems with architects doing bread and butter work like this to help fund more risky public projects.

But its when architects start deluding themselves every project they do is for the benefit of society that I have reservations.

Brixton market owners to look at new hotel

The Brixton Blog article quotes the AJ article which is behind a paywall. In that one can see the comments criticising Adjaye for not having an understanding of gentrification.

Quite a glaring lack considering what he is saying in his Guardian article.

 

[organicpanda]

He said it would be “socially constructed architecture that can edify the community”
edify - 'instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually' by shopping and eating at overpriced venues?

 

[editor]

He said it would be “socially constructed architecture that can edify the community”
edify - 'instruct or improve (someone) morally or intellectually' by shopping and eating at overpriced venues?

The Pope's Road proposals (complete with conveniently fading top stories) looks like some shit soulless shopping all from the 70s and no amount of cut and pasted Jamaican flags in the mock ups is going to make it look appealing to the local community. The bit at the bottom is just the faux community fodder to provide the foundations for the multi storey $$$$$ private housing/hotel the Toryboy billionaire is going to stick on top.

 

[Mr paulee]

Cash-Strapped Councils and Gentrification: The Problem with POP Brixton

Piece on POP brixton in Vice

 

[CH1]

Cash-Strapped Councils and Gentrification: The Problem with POP Brixton
Piece on POP brixton in Vice

Isn't it a similar story at the Ritzy - where millions of public money went in to produce a multiplex with social housing attached.

Several changes of ownership later the Ritzy multiplex is charging £14.50 a go.
I notice there was a recent special showing of the film about Ulric Cross the Trinidadian wartime squadron leader who ended up as a judge in Tanzania. But it was held at Peckham Plex (£4.99) - no doubt the organisers thought this more "accessible".

 

[editor]

Cash-Strapped Councils and Gentrification: The Problem with POP Brixton

Piece on POP brixton in Vice

It's good that someone else is finally picking up on this community con. Brixton Buzz has been banging on about it for years.

 

[Mr paulee]

It's good that someone else is finally picking up on this community con. Brixton Buzz has been banging on about it for years.

Totally agree

 

[editor]

Anyone know why the tree outside Brewdog's newly extended street drinking area has been chopped down?

 

[editor]

Pavement hogging mass jogging ahoy!

A vast army of runners stomp down Coldharbour Lane as the Run Dem Crew hit town – photos

 

[Mr Retro]

Pavement hogging mass jogging ahoy!

A vast army of runners stomp down Coldharbour Lane as the Run Dem Crew hit town – photos

Correct me if I am wrong but the tone of this report is one of disapproval?

 

[editor]

Correct me if I am wrong but the tone of this report is one of disapproval?

Whenever I see you answering one of my posts in this forum, my heart sinks a little. And that's because I know that there's very, very little chance of you looking to engage in an honest discussion about anything to do with Brixton, but it'll just be the same tiresome, loaded shit.

Hundreds of people have seen the article and you're the only one asking this stupid personal question.

 

[sparkybird]

I looked at the article but tbh it didn't tell me much about run dem crew. Mind you neither did their FB page or website.
I would have thought that encouraging people to take excercise is a good thing though?

 

[Jimbeau]

I read it too. I can’t say the description of a vast army of stomping, galloping, thundering, pavement hogs struck me as neutral.

It’s a shame that Brixton doesn’t have a road running club. Over the years I’ve been in Herne Hill Harriers, Dulwich Runners and Windrush Tri - but none is really convenient. Since the changing pavilion in Brockwell Park came down there’s no obvious venue to meet either - which could be part of the problem. Clapham Common has several clubs for example.

Any club I’ve been in has been especially conscious of other road users and had an established etiquette to ensure other pedestrians were given space and priority. In this instance, I wonder who else was about on CHL on a dark Tuesday evening, and the extent to which this was a factor in the routing and timing of the run.

I don’t know anything of Run Dem Crew beyond what I can read on their site and Facebook page, but having youth mentoring and community as stated aims has to be a plus - it’s not something that many of the athletically-driven groups talk about.

 

[Angellic]

I read it too. I can’t say the description of a vast army of stomping, galloping, thundering, pavement hogs struck me as neutral.

It’s a shame that Brixton doesn’t have a road running club. Over the years I’ve been in Herne Hill Harriers, Dulwich Runners and Windrush Tri - but none is really convenient. Since the changing pavilion in Brockwell Park came down there’s no obvious venue to meet either - which could be part of the problem. Clapham Common has several clubs for example.

Any club I’ve been in has been especially conscious of other road users and had an established etiquette to ensure other pedestrians were given space and priority. In this instance, I wonder who else was about on CHL on a dark Tuesday evening, and the extent to which this was a factor in the routing and timing of the run.

I don’t know anything of Run Dem Crew beyond what I can read on their site and Facebook page, but having youth mentoring and community as stated aims has to be a plus - it’s not something that many of the athletically-driven groups talk about.

'Pavement hogging mass'
'A vast army of runners'
'galloping herd of runners'

No reference to them as 'hogs'.

 

[Jimbeau]

'Pavement hogging mass'
'A vast army of runners'
'galloping herd of runners'

No reference to them as 'hogs'.

I paraphrase. If you want to be pedantic it was ‘pavement-hogging’ with a hyphen. The gerundive then modifies the noun ‘pavement’. I don’t suppose anyone thought they were actual pigs any more than you thought they were slaughtering swine in the street.

 

[Angellic]

I paraphrase. If you want to be pedantic it was ‘pavement-hogging’ with a hyphen. The gerundive then modifies the noun ‘pavement’. I don’t suppose anyone thought they were actual pigs any more than you thought they were slaughtering swine in the street.

Most helpful.

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

"…run, travel, party and repeat, which probably explains why there are over 500 members and counting. Plus, the founder is Charlie Dark, a renowned DJ, poet and writer who launched RDC in 2007 with a plan to roll music culture, running, youth mentoring and community all into one awesome movement."

Why is all the writing in Time Out so cringey and quite immature? This is by no means a prime example but i have had to stop reading that shit on account of every couple of pages a piece by Felicity Hunter-Jones, 26, exclaiming about how she is apparently addicted to macaroons from a coffee shop housed in a shipping container in Hackney. Fuck off.

 

[editor]

I looked at the article but tbh it didn't tell me much about run dem crew. Mind you neither did their FB page or website.
I would have thought that encouraging people to take excercise is a good thing though?

I did try to look them up but there was little info on their website. I also wanted to find out how much it cost to join, but there was no info I could find on that either.

To be honest, my first reaction was one of alarm when I saw a load of people dressed in black come hurtling around the corner of Somerleyton Road.

And I really don't think it was sensible for them to run along that strip given that the pavement is already half-width because of building work, and I did see a few locals looking genuinely concerned when this lot headed towards them.

So I'm all for exercise, but not so keen on on-trend party-ready runners pushing people off narrow pavements into the road when it's dark. I don't think that's a controversial or overtly negative opinion.

 

[editor]

I read it too. I can’t say the description of a vast army of stomping, galloping, thundering, pavement hogs struck me as neutral.

Where did I say it was 'neutral'? And why should it be anyway? I'm not writing a government report.

I gave a reaction to what I saw and every description is correct, albeit using somewhat jovial language. They did indeed stomp, gallop and thunder past and hog the pavement in its entirety. The photos prove that.

 

[editor]

"…run, travel, party and repeat, which probably explains why there are over 500 members and counting. Plus, the founder is Charlie Dark, a renowned DJ, poet and writer who launched RDC in 2007 with a plan to roll music culture, running, youth mentoring and community all into one awesome movement."

Why is all the writing in Time Out so cringey and quite immature? This is by no means a prime example but i have had to stop reading that shit on account of every couple of pages a piece by Felicity Hunter-Jones, 26, exclaiming about how she is apparently addicted to macaroons from a coffee shop housed in a shipping container in Hackney. Fuck off.

You should read the press releases I get sent about new businesses in Lambeth most days. Gushingly dire, full of themselves and convinced that whatever money-making scheme they're embarking on is an absolute solid gold asset to the community.

 

[friedaweed]

Next they'll be closing your road on a Sunday and fucking up your weekend so they can all have a race.

 

[Jimbeau]

Where did I say it was 'neutral'? And why should it be anyway? I'm not writing a government report.

I gave a reaction to what I saw and every description is correct, albeit using somewhat jovial language. They did indeed stomp, gallop and thunder past and hog the pavement in its entirety. The photos prove that.

Yes indeed. You’re not obliged to be neutral and you didn’t intend to be. That’s ok by me. [emoji3]

I’m really interested in the kind of group they are, how they behave, and whether they offer something new that’s missing in these parts. Running clubs are all cliquey btw - these guys may of course just be a clique of a different stripe.

That said, lots of interesting stuff online about Charlie Dark. He really does seem to be doing something that breaks away from the stereotype of skinny white guys in shiny vests. And for free too.

 

[editor]

I’m really interested in the kind of group they are, how they behave, and whether they offer something new that’s missing in these parts. Running clubs are all cliquey btw - these guys may of course just be a clique of a different stripe.

From what I gather they run a bit and then go off and booze a bit which already sounds better than some of the po-faced running clubs I've seen. Is it free? Then I like it more. I still think they should rethink where they run though when there's over a hundred of them stomping, galloping and yes, thundering, along narrow, busy pavements.