Brixton news, rumours and general chat - March 2017

[CH1]

In Windrush Square:

Clean Air Gallery in Windrush Square showcases uneasy connection between corporate brand and clever eco-product

Very interesting.

According to Google, Tiger Beer's parent company is Heineken International.
I think they should consider a soot exhibition outside the Heineken Brewery in Amsterdam. There might be some budding van Goghs bursting to show us the agony and ecstasy of soot from canal boats.

 

[teuchter]

I thought lorries were already supposed to have particulate filters as part of the low emissions zone thing. That or pay the charge for not doing so. So, are they just doing what they are supposed to do anyway, and making a marketing thing out of it?

Looks like classic greenwash to me.

Also typical Brixton Buzz. Moan vaguely about corporateness and fail to do any objective reporting on what this actually is compared to its claims.

"Watch their promo videos to understand the science"

 

[aussw9]

They had *three* security guards around the thing. It felt really odd.

could this be at the request of lambeth?

 

[editor]

could this be at the request of lambeth?

Three guards sure seems like a lot of security considering the size of the exhibit.

 

[r0bb0]

The Public toilet on popes road is gonna start charging, 20pee

 

[sparkybird]

Whilst the Tiger beer marketing crap is complete wank, at least they have sponsored the installation and the technology is getting a wider audience and we get to see some new art for free

 

[editor]

The Public toilet on popes road is gonna start charging, 20pee

So that means even more pissing in the street coming soon.

 

[editor]

Whilst the Tiger beer marketing crap is complete wank, at least they have sponsored the installation and the technology is getting a wider audience and we get to see some new art for free

The art really isn't that good. Not three security guards/hog Windrush Square good.

 

[Gramsci]

 

[editor]

There's as many security staff as people in Windrush Square now because of that Tiger Beer gallery thing.

 

[SpamMisery]

In pictures: Life on Clapham High Street - BBC News

Given the gentrification tag it receives, there are a surprising number of long time traders on the high street.

 

[editor]

I see that the estate agent-owned Hip Hop chip shop on Coldharbour Lane has given up all pretence of being an actual restaurant and now doesn't even bother opening in the daytimes. Come the night though and it's a full on bar/club with loud dance music and DJs.

 

[T & P]

In pictures: Life on Clapham High Street - BBC News

Given the gentrification tag it receives, there are a surprising number of long time traders on the high street.

House prices in the area have always seemed at the tip of the spear in South London, but as far as local shops go, Clapham Common has always kept an equilibrium of sorts, and for every Waitrose Local and vodka bar there is an Iceland and an unassuming, normal
-priced pub living alongside it. If Clapham can do it I don't see why Brixton can't.

 

[SpamMisery]

I'm still waiting for our Waitrose

 

[Gramsci]

I'm still waiting for our Waitrose

So what are you saying? That posters her make to much of Brixton being gentrified?

When I was first in Brixton the shops in Brixton were more balanced between bars and retail. The stretch of shops between Diverse and Ritzy had a tool shop, second hand musical instruments shops, two proper cheap cafes. All gone. And Brixton Cycles now pushed up to Brixton road.

Apart from Bookmongers and the old off licence opposite Dogstar they have all gone.

Remember now there used to be old school bakery. Which went in the "improvement" of Brixton.

For someone like me whose been around for thirty years this is not a good thing.

Same goes for Atlantic road.

 

[editor]

So what are you saying? That posters her make to much of Brixton being gentrified?

When I was first in Brixton the shops in Brixton were more balanced between bars and retail. The stretch of shops between Diverse and Ritzy had a tool shop, second hand musical instruments shops, two proper cheap cafes. All gone. And Brixton Cycles now pushed up to Brixton road.

Apart from Bookmongers and the old off licence opposite Dogstar they have all gone.

Remember now there used to be old school bakery. Which went in the "improvement" of Brixton.

For someone like me whose been around for thirty years this is not a good thing.

Same goes for Atlantic road.

On that short stretch of Coldharbour Lane I really miss the comic shop, Brixton cycles, Phoenix Cafe and especially the music shop. Now it's mainly overpriced hipster bar/restaurants, estate agents or unaffordable posh shops or hair salons for the well off. So sad.

 

[SpamMisery]

You got that from "I'm still waiting for our Waitrose"?

 

[editor]

The EYES!

 

[discobastard]

When I was first in Brixton the shops in Brixton were more balanced between bars and retail. The stretch of shops between Diverse and Ritzy had a tool shop, second hand musical instruments shops, two proper cheap cafes. All gone. And Brixton Cycles now pushed up to Brixton road.

That is probably more to do with Amazon, eBay and manufacturers selling their products online than gentrification, whatever we take that to mean. Which is a much bigger conversation as I'm sure you'll agree.

 

[editor]

That is probably more to do with Amazon, eBay and manufacturers selling their products online than gentrification, whatever we take that to mean. Which is a much bigger conversation as I'm sure you'll agree.

People can't buy egg and chips and a cuppa online yet. Well, not practically, so I imagine rent rises played their part too.

 

[discobastard]

People can't buy egg and chips and a cuppa online yet. Well, not practically, so I imagine rent rises played their part too.

I'm sure that's true (rent rises), but the bigger shift is being able to buy things cheaper (and in many cases more conveniently) online. Which may or may not mean fewer people on the High St and therefore less demand for lots of egg and chips and cuppa venues. And if the caffs can't turn a profit then they disappear. And the rent rises are possible because of changing tastes/demand. Doesn't make it 'right', but it does make it hard to pin blame. Major forces are at work. And there are still plenty places to have egg and chips. Cafe Castelo in Tulse Hill does the best bacon roll I've ever had for £1.60.

 

[editor]

I'm sure that's true (rent rises), but the bigger shift is being able to buy things cheaper (and in many cases more conveniently) online. Which may or may not mean fewer people on the High St and therefore less demand for lots of egg and chips and cuppa venues. And if the caffs can't turn a profit then they disappear. And the rent rises are possible because of changing tastes/demand. Doesn't make it 'right', but it does make it hard to pin blame. Major forces are at work. And there are still plenty places to have egg and chips. Cafe Castelo in Tulse Hill does the best bacon roll I've ever had for £1.60.

No cheapo cafes left along Coldharbour Lane though. All gone and replaced by trendy/hipster stuff. In a few hundred metres we've lost four 'normal' cafes and I imagine those 'changing tastes; you talk about will also be reflecting - to a certain degree - the changing demographics, and the fact that 'normal' businesses have had to move out of Central Brixton.

 

[discobastard]

No cheapo cafes left along Coldharbour Lane though. All gone and replaced by trendy/hipster stuff. In a few hundred metres we've lost four 'normal' cafes and I imagine those 'changing tastes; you talk about will also be reflecting - to a certain degree - the changing demographics, and the fact that 'normal' businesses have had to move out of Central Brixton.

Indeed. Changing tastes coupled with much bigger shifts in retail trends plus changing demographics (which is down to many many other complex factors) means that Brixton is changing.
Very hard to pin it down to any specific issue.

 

[CH1]

Got an email yesterday from someone I don't now inviting me to join his network Nextdoor Effra Road on Next Door.

Has anyone come across this outfit? There are some quite negative review on the American version here Nextdoor

 

[Ms T]

People can't buy egg and chips and a cuppa online yet. Well, not practically, so I imagine rent rises played their part too.

Didn't the Phoenix guys own their property?

 

[CH1]

Didn't the Phoenix guys own their property?

If you look at the comments below this buzz article you can see a comment from the owner. Soho House submits planning application for site of Phoenix Cafe along Coldharbour Lane
Whether he is "the Phoenix guys" I don't know. AFAIK Mr Soner is a property developer rather than a sandwich maker.

 

[elmpp]

I see that the estate agent-owned Hip Hop chip shop on Coldharbour Lane has given up all pretence of being an actual restaurant and now doesn't even bother opening in the daytimes. Come the night though and it's a full on bar/club with loud dance music and DJs.

You spend your life lamenting the lack of drinking spots and criticising eateries. Shouldn't this be good for you?

"Loud music"

 

[urbanspaceman]

Got an email yesterday from someone I don't now inviting me to join his network Nextdoor Effra Road on Next Door.

Has anyone come across this outfit? There are some quite negative review on the American version here Nextdoor

That invitation might have come from me. Anyway, I checked the link you mentioned, and was quite surprised at the level of vituperation.

Conversation among Nextdoor's Brixton users is nothing like that. So far people have been utterly civil and co-operative, and discussion is about the usual mundane neighbourly stuff - lost cats, yoga lessons, borrowing gardening equipment, broadband problems, cleaners, babysitters, etc. I have used it to spread word and solicit opinions about the Lambeth Air Quality Action Plan meetings. I think that it's quite a useful tool for building a sense of community.

It's different from and more immediately useful than U75, in that there are no tedious and monomaniacal multi-page flame wars about which poster holds the more virtuous ideological beliefs. None of the Nextdoor users - so far - feel compelled to launch jihad against others for incorrect thinking.

This is an informative article:

www.dailynews.com/20170307/how-social-network-nextdoor-is-becoming-a-new-way-to-neighbor

I suggest you and anybody else who is interested sign up and see how it goes.

 

[brixtonblade]

That invitation might have come from me. Anyway, I checked the link you mentioned, and was quite surprised at the level of vituperation.

Conversation among Nextdoor's Brixton users is nothing like that. So far people have been utterly civil and co-operative, and discussion is about the usual mundane neighbourly stuff - lost cats, yoga lessons, borrowing gardening equipment, broadband problems, cleaners, babysitters, etc. I have used it to spread word and solicit opinions about the Lambeth Air Quality Action Plan meetings. I think that it's quite a useful tool for building a sense of community.

It's different from and more immediately useful than U75, in that there are no tedious and monomaniacal multi-page flame wars about which poster holds the more virtuous ideological beliefs. None of the Nextdoor users - so far - feel compelled to launch jihad against others for incorrect thinking.

This is an informative article:

www.dailynews.com/20170307/how-social-network-nextdoor-is-becoming-a-new-way-to-neighbor

I suggest you and anybody else who is interested sign up and see how it goes.

Wasn't there some concern about how much personal /address info the site exposes?

 

[Boudicca]

I moved over from Streetlink to Nextdoor, but then saw that they had shaded my house in in green to show everyone where I lived. I tried changing it to 'show my street only' but my house remained shaded in, so I deleted the account.