Brixton news, rumours and general chat - October 2012

[Minnie_the_Minx]

We've already seen most of the long term squatting community subtracted from the mix, and I don't see much of a future for the artists, musicians, writers and activists etc who helped shape Brixton's rather unique community.

The sky-high pricing of the hundreds of new flats and refurbished squats currently going up coupled with an ever shrinking provision of social housing would rather suggest that things are going to get a bit more generic around town.

Funnily enough, a friend of mine who used to live on Brixton Hill visited recently and was quite shocked to discover that half of St Saviour's Road and Lambert Road were no longer filled with squatters. She said 20 odd years ago, that half the customers who went in the White Horse squatted in one of those roads.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I knew it was there and shopped there for years I just got confused about which bit was Granville arcade.The two kitchens supplies places have been there ever since I can remember,and the African vege places were always good for shopping the pet shop and the Garden shop and the woman selling pots and pans were all good value.I must admit I haven't been in there for a few years but then I'm only in Brixton some of the time.

I used to use the Pet Shop regularly when I had my cats

 

[Badgers]

Oi, I have not been slagging it off!!

Tittle Tattle ^

 

[editor]

It seems some people are slagging off somewhere they've never been and didn't use before it became "gentrified".

There was a reason why Granville Arcade was left struggling with no investment for so long, and that was very much to do with the owners.

They had plans to completely redevelop the site, demolish the current buildings and replace them with a 10 story privately owned residential tower block and private park.

Thankfully, fierce opposition from the local community saw off that idea, but I'm not sure all those who lobbied against the proposals will be liking what's there now.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

So people are slagging off something that they never used anyway?


It seems some people are slagging off somewhere they've never been and didn't use before it became "gentrified".

I'd eat there if I could afford it and b/f didn't mind foreign food, but I'd go before all the richer types arrived so I didn't feel so out of place

 

[twistedAM]

I'm out on the lash tonight so it'll probably be a kebab at closing time.

Kebabs. The supper of champions.

 

[Onket]

We've already seen most of the long term squatting community subtracted from the mix, and I don't see much of a future for the artists, musicians, writers and activists etc who helped shape Brixton's rather unique community.

The sky-high pricing of the hundreds of new flats and refurbished squats currently going up coupled with an ever shrinking provision of social housing would rather suggest that things are going to get a bit more generic around town.

Yes, I know. But Gramsci was talking like everyone currently here would instantly be removed and everyone in Brixton will suddenly be exactly the same.

It is clear the the gentrification has added to Brixton, rather than simply replaced Brixton. To me, and i am sure others.

 

[Gramsci]

There are two houses on my street (am back to my wildly unrepresentative sample again...) that are let out as flats, by the West Indian families that bought them in the 70s. The elderly couple opposite (who have lived in their house for 56 years, as they tell me every time they see me) were telling me how scandalous it was when the West Indian families moved in, and how their children couldn't afford to live in the area, and how scandalised they now are that the same families are 'profiteering' from the gentrification. So I guess each change has worried those left before...

Not quite the same. The elderly couple are objecting to West Indians moving into area. That is called racism.

The issue here is that the area of Brixton in future , like other parts of London, will be unaffordable for a lot of people. The latest people to come here are my East European friends. And they are really struggling now. 2 of them had to move out of Dalston as there landlords upped the rents by 30%. (Dues the landlords said to the improvements to the area meaning they could charge more).

 

[peterkro]

^^ I squatted in Lambert road for a few months during one of my attempts to leave Villa road.The guy that runs/owns? the Ritzy lived next door.Still used to drink in the New Queens though not the White Horse.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

^^ I squatted in Lambert road for a few months during one of my attempts to leave Villa road.The guy that runs/owns? the Ritzy lived next door.Still used to drink in the New Queens though not the White Horse.

Yep, know plenty who used to squat in Lambert as well and a few in Bonham Road

 

[Onket]

Kebabs. The supper of champions.

Not sure a kebab could ever be described as supper. Don't quote me though, I'm not posh enough to eat supper.

 

[Onket]

I'd eat there if I could afford it and b/f didn't mind foreign food, but I'd go before all the richer types arrived so I didn't feel so out of place

What time have you seen them arrive?

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Well fuck me. I have NEVER been in Brixton Village itself!

Do you find not going there is now not as good as not going there used to be?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

What time have you seen them arrive?

I haven't, because I've gone through there in the afternoons whilst they're all probably sitting in their offices writing articles about how they're currently liking something

 

[twistedAM]

Not sure a kebab could ever be described as supper. Don't quote me though, I'm not posh enough to eat supper.

Supper isn't always a posh word. Fish suppers?

 

[Onket]

I haven't, because I've gone through there in the afternoons whilst they're all probably sitting in their offices writing articles about how they're currently liking something

So you don't know what you're talking about. I thought as much.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

I don't think you need any kind of permission to rent out a house you own.

Actually, I think it only applies if you're offering lets of less than 90 days, e.g. short lets/holiday lets etc...

Councils *can* take action though - Lambeth has already banned conversions (of houses into flats) in "streets under conversion stress", which includes a huge number of residential roads in Lambeth:

http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/NR/rdonly...69A9/0/ChangesToTheProposalsMapDoc180111b.pdf (page 9, table 7)

 

[Badgers]

Kebabs. The supper of champions.

 

[twistedAM]

So you have been to the Villaaage then?

 

[Biddlybee]

melon and cheese?

 

[Badgers]

So you have been to the Villaaage then?

£40 for those bespoke kebabs

 

[Onket]

Supper isn't always a posh word. Fish suppers?

I wouldn't know. I don't use the word. Maybe it's having northern parents.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

So you don't know what you're talking about. I thought as much.

I've also been through there at night when it's full of people

 

[Gramsci]

Yes, I know. But Gramsci was talking like everyone currently here would instantly be removed and everyone in Brixton will suddenly be exactly the same.

It is clear the the gentrification has added to Brixton, rather than simply replaced Brixton. To me, and i am sure others.

What I was agreeing with the Ed about is that the changes in social housing and the rising price of housing private and rental will make Brixton unaffordable.

To say rising house prices ( which is what fundamentally gentrification is about) add to the mix in Brixton is ridiculous.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

So you don't know what you're talking about. I thought as much.

I said I don't know what time they turn up as I don't sit there waiting for them and looking at my watch

At least I've been there a few times this year even if I didn't eat, which is a few times more than you've been in 10 or 11 years

 

[quimcunx]

Minnie, next time I'm off during the week I'll take you there for lunch.

Maybe after we can get our nails done and a massage too.

 

[Manter]

It does

Onket liked your post. Have you done him as well?

 

[Manter]

oh my, that's a pretty little map that I've never seen before.

What's the rose for?

have you never seen the 15 foot long fibreglass rose on the high street?

 

[quimcunx]

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

have you never seen the 15 foot long fibreglass rose on the high street?

Are you sure it's not some cherries on a roof?