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Brixton news, rumours and general chat: Spring 2019

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Hosti
You should be picking on the profit chasing chains that offer nothing to those on limited incomes other than unaffordable products and minimum wage jobs

I do pick on big business here and still have to deal with same line of argument. Why are you picking on this business not that one line. Ritzy dispute for example.

Ive previously also posted up definition of gentrification that avoids picking on individual business. In short gentrification is caused by capitalism so capitalism is the problem. This doesnt get a lot of interest on this forum.
 
I do pick on big business here and still have to deal with same line of argument. Why are you picking on this business not that one line. Ritzy dispute for example.
Loads of people are quite happy to completely ignore the Ritzy boycott.
 
Ive previously also posted up definition of gentrification that avoids picking on individual business. In short gentrification is caused by capitalism so capitalism is the problem. This doesnt get a lot of interest on this forum.

What kind of interest are you looking for?

I think lots of people would agree that gentrification is something that happens under capitalism and might say that's just stating the obvious. The more difficult question is what to do about it - are you hoping for people to read your post and become revolutionary socialists? What might get more interest is suggestions about how to intervene in the system to lessen the impact. Some people want to intervene by having a go at individual businesses - I don't think that's very productive and am more interested in things like changes to housing and planning policy, which don't rely on overthrowing capitalism.
 
What kind of interest are you looking for?

I think lots of people would agree that gentrification is something that happens under capitalism and might say that's just stating the obvious. The more difficult question is what to do about it - are you hoping for people to read your post and become revolutionary socialists? What might get more interest is suggestions about how to intervene in the system to lessen the impact. Some people want to intervene by having a go at individual businesses - I don't think that's very productive and am more interested in things like changes to housing and planning policy, which don't rely on overthrowing capitalism.

How about this list:

Bring back rent controls on private landlords.

Make big organisations like Network Rail give proper tenancies to all. Looks to me like if all the small business had secure leases like the pawnshop then NR would not have got away with kicking them out.

So rent controls of leases with much greater security.

Property owners for to long now have had carte Blanche to hike up rents on housing and business premises. The balance of power must be put back towards private renters of accomodation and small business who rent from property owners.

Get rid of viability as reason to reduce social housing element of large private housing schemes.

When Councils put into planning guidelines that 50% affordable on large schemes is required this actually is done. If property developers don't like it then that's there problem.

If they throw a hissy fit and leave land undeveloped for three years then Council should be able to CPO land at cost. Not at price hiked up as though it was going to be profitable housing development.

And on private big developments get rid of this "intermediate" housing as qualifying for affordable. Its not. The 50% should be social rents same as Council rents. The hit to profits being bourne by developer.

On Capitalism. Well I need to dig out my old post. Based on reading David Harvey , the Marxist geographer.

I did say, what I thought was realistic option. Supporting a Corbyn/ McDonnell led radical socialist government. They aren't going to overthrow Capitalism straight away but use State power to regulate it. Unlike New Labour.

The difference is between Corbyn confront and regulate and Chuka. Chuka TIG is remodeling the "centre" ground. Chuka would agree with all the issues but baulk at prospect of confronting Capital.

Which is required.

Chuka would say he is just as concerned as Corbyn about the "system". Its that the politics that Corbyn/ McDonnell represent is to much hard left intervention.

I would say that Chuka whilst saying he agrees with all the problems , doesn't really want to do the hard line measures to change the balance of power between Capital and Labour.

I've even seen this in the XR rebellion. Whilst supporting Green New Deal, which is socialist, they are so worried about losing public support that there public message is that they are "beyond politics"

The answers to todays problems are socialist. This does not mean necessarily revolutionary change as in Russian Revolution . It does imo mean a drastic change in power between Capital and the other 99%. Which will be opposed.
 
How about this list:

Bring back rent controls on private landlords.

Make big organisations like Network Rail give proper tenancies to all. Looks to me like if all the small business had secure leases like the pawnshop then NR would not have got away with kicking them out.

So rent controls of leases with much greater security.

Property owners for to long now have had carte Blanche to hike up rents on housing and business premises. The balance of power must be put back towards private renters of accomodation and small business who rent from property owners.

Get rid of viability as reason to reduce social housing element of large private housing schemes.

When Councils put into planning guidelines that 50% affordable on large schemes is required this actually is done. If property developers don't like it then that's there problem.

If they throw a hissy fit and leave land undeveloped for three years then Council should be able to CPO land at cost. Not at price hiked up as though it was going to be profitable housing development.

And on private big developments get rid of this "intermediate" housing as qualifying for affordable. Its not. The 50% should be social rents same as Council rents. The hit to profits being bourne by developer.

On Capitalism. Well I need to dig out my old post. Based on reading David Harvey , the Marxist geographer.

I did say, what I thought was realistic option. Supporting a Corbyn/ McDonnell led radical socialist government. They aren't going to overthrow Capitalism straight away but use State power to regulate it. Unlike New Labour.

The difference is between Corbyn confront and regulate and Chuka. Chuka TIG is remodeling the "centre" ground. Chuka would agree with all the issues but baulk at prospect of confronting Capital.

Which is required.

Chuka would say he is just as concerned as Corbyn about the "system". Its that the politics that Corbyn/ McDonnell represent is to much hard left intervention.

I would say that Chuka whilst saying he agrees with all the problems , doesn't really want to do the hard line measures to change the balance of power between Capital and Labour.

I've even seen this in the XR rebellion. Whilst supporting Green New Deal, which is socialist, they are so worried about losing public support that there public message is that they are "beyond politics"

The answers to todays problems are socialist. This does not mean necessarily revolutionary change as in Russian Revolution . It does imo mean a drastic change in power between Capital and the other 99%. Which will be opposed.
I'd redefine the current definition of 'affordable' into something more meaningful. Like 'no more than 10% more than social housing.'
 
How about this list:

Bring back rent controls on private landlords.

Make big organisations like Network Rail give proper tenancies to all. Looks to me like if all the small business had secure leases like the pawnshop then NR would not have got away with kicking them out.

So rent controls of leases with much greater security.

Property owners for to long now have had carte Blanche to hike up rents on housing and business premises. The balance of power must be put back towards private renters of accomodation and small business who rent from property owners.

Get rid of viability as reason to reduce social housing element of large private housing schemes.

When Councils put into planning guidelines that 50% affordable on large schemes is required this actually is done. If property developers don't like it then that's there problem.

If they throw a hissy fit and leave land undeveloped for three years then Council should be able to CPO land at cost. Not at price hiked up as though it was going to be profitable housing development.

And on private big developments get rid of this "intermediate" housing as qualifying for affordable. Its not. The 50% should be social rents same as Council rents. The hit to profits being bourne by developer.

On Capitalism. Well I need to dig out my old post. Based on reading David Harvey , the Marxist geographer.

I did say, what I thought was realistic option. Supporting a Corbyn/ McDonnell led radical socialist government. They aren't going to overthrow Capitalism straight away but use State power to regulate it. Unlike New Labour.

The difference is between Corbyn confront and regulate and Chuka. Chuka TIG is remodeling the "centre" ground. Chuka would agree with all the issues but baulk at prospect of confronting Capital.

Which is required.

Chuka would say he is just as concerned as Corbyn about the "system". Its that the politics that Corbyn/ McDonnell represent is to much hard left intervention.

I would say that Chuka whilst saying he agrees with all the problems , doesn't really want to do the hard line measures to change the balance of power between Capital and Labour.

I've even seen this in the XR rebellion. Whilst supporting Green New Deal, which is socialist, they are so worried about losing public support that there public message is that they are "beyond politics"

The answers to todays problems are socialist. This does not mean necessarily revolutionary change as in Russian Revolution . It does imo mean a drastic change in power between Capital and the other 99%. Which will be opposed.

I would agree in principle with most of the proposals you make.

It's for another thread really, but there's not a lot of clarity about what people mean when they say 'socialist'. I think technically neither Chuka nor Corbyn are proposing socialism. They are both offering flavours of social democracy. You are not happy that Chuka goes far enough. Some are not happy that Corbyn goes far enough. Some would laugh at the idea that Corbyn is 'hard left'. Some seem to think he represents something just short of communism. So when you ask people if they would support a 'radical socialist labour government', your and their definition of what that actually means might differ quite wildly.

Anyway, all that is why I find it a bit meaningless for someone to say that 'Capitalism causes gentrification' and then everyone nods their heads and says capitalism is the problem, but it doesn't go anywhere in terms of real proposals for how to change things.
 
I would agree in principle with most of the proposals you make.

It's for another thread really, but there's not a lot of clarity about what people mean when they say 'socialist'. I think technically neither Chuka nor Corbyn are proposing socialism. They are both offering flavours of social democracy. You are not happy that Chuka goes far enough. Some are not happy that Corbyn goes far enough. Some would laugh at the idea that Corbyn is 'hard left'. Some seem to think he represents something just short of communism. So when you ask people if they would support a 'radical socialist labour government', your and their definition of what that actually means might differ quite wildly.

Anyway, all that is why I find it a bit meaningless for someone to say that 'Capitalism causes gentrification' and then everyone nods their heads and says capitalism is the problem, but it doesn't go anywhere in terms of real proposals for how to change things.

This sounds like the kind of centre ground on the one hand on the other that is meaningless.

So I can't criticise individual businesses. If I put forward definition that moves beyond criticising individuals. Putting definition at a different level then I can be criticised for being meaningless. As I'm not putting forward "real" proposals.

So on the one hand I can be criticised for direct criticisms of real actual situations but if I put forward higher level of criticism then I can be criticised of being not realistic.

This is how the centre ground operates. If you read Chuka its this line of argument he uses.

And its for this thread. Posters here have great sport in attacking others for individual criticism of business. So I'm putting forward different way of looking at it on this thread.

Its entirely in keeping with this thread.
 
Does anyone know what the plan for Ferndale Road is?

A few weeks ago we were told about funding to create a low traffic route: Atlantic Road to be transformed and Ferndale and Railton Roads to be ‘low traffic’

But this week the Brixton end has been resurfaced, with no obvious change in the shape of the road. A simple resurfacing and repainting.

A case of left hand, right hand not joining up?

It was a potholed mess around the bridge and the cobbles at the junction with Pulross Road were broken up enough to be dangerous on a bike. It needed doing whether or not the motor traffic levels are going to change.
 
What's the best way for a friend visiting to park in a CPZ in Brixton? Thanks
That's a brave question to ask around here :D

Many main roads and at either end of residential streets leading to main roads there usually are some pay and display bays. Your friend might need to download the parking app (details on the sticker on the pay & display machines), as some of said machines have now stopped taking coinage and the only way to pay is by app, or telephone.

Alternatively main main roads have free parking bays for limited periods of time, usually 20 min, 30 min or 1 h.

There are still some free parking streets left in the wider Brixton area, but it'd be a good 10- 15 min. walk from central Brixton.

As a longer term solution, all Lambeth residents can buy Day Visitor Parking Permit booklets, which allow visiting cars to be parked for one day in residential areas. If you buy them online you should receive them in the next few days in the post, so if your friend is not visiting imminently you might receive them in time.
 
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That's a brave question to ask around here :D

Many main roads and at either end of residential streets leading to main roads there usually are some pay and display bays. Your friend might need to download the parking app (details on the sticker on the pay & display machines), as some of said machines have now stop taking coinage and the only way to pay is by app, or telephone.

Alternatively main main roads have free parking bays for limited periods of time, usually 20 min, 30 min or 1 h.

There are still some free parking streets left in the wider Brixton area, but it'd be a good 10- 15 min. walk from central Brixton.

As a longer term solution, all Lambeth residents can buy Day Visitor Parking Permit booklets, which allow visiting cars to be parked for one day in residential areas. If you buy them online you should receive them in the next few days in the post, so if your friend is not visiting imminently you might receive them in time.

Thanks, very helpful.
 
I love the Brixton Pound Cafe - it's the only cafe I visit regularly.

They use and distribute surplus food and you can pay what you can afford. They do loads of vegan stuff - I'm not vegan but its coverting me to oat milk in drinks. The staff are so friendly and its just a great place to sit or to meet up with friends. They host loads of community events and welcome our regular older queer meetings there. FREE.

Don't want to join in any pointless theoretical arguments about what they should do there. I think they are doing a great job as it is.
 
I love the Brixton Pound Cafe - it's the only cafe I visit regularly.

They use and distribute surplus food and you can pay what you can afford. They do loads of vegan stuff - I'm not vegan but its coverting me to oat milk in drinks. The staff are so friendly and its just a great place to sit or to meet up with friends. They host loads of community events and welcome our regular older queer meetings there. FREE.

Don't want to join in any pointless theoretical arguments about what they should do there. I think they are doing a great job as it is.
I love them too. That's why I've helped them out in the past and will continue to do so whenever asked.
 
The gift shop in Market Row next to Franco Manca is closing down and everything is half price or less.
 
I'm left a bit speechless by this press release.

This Sunday 28th April, investment banker and mother [double barreled name] from South London will take on the challenge of the most coveted event in any runner’s calendar, the London Marathon. ******* will run the gruelling 26.2 miles to raise funds for [a charity]. Through UK Aid Match, the UK government will match all funds raised by **** from the UK public.

***** is based in London and is an investment banker and mother of two young children.

We hope that *****’s inspiring story is something that might be of interest to your readers. Please find our press release below. Both ***** and [charity] spokespeople are available for interviews.
 
There was a fight in Sainsbury's just now. I narrowly avoided being knocked over by the one very angry customer and then had to duck swiftly to avoid being hit on the head by a flying shepherd's pie. Which made the shopping experience a little unusual.
 
Look at the sad state of this

View attachment 168973
Yep saw that earlier this week.
Maybe I don't understand the nuances of graffiti - but to me carefully thought out and well drawn images, along with some poignant words, have been mutilated by some barely literate tagging and squiggles.
Seems very disrespectful - but perhaps I am missing something in my understanding of graff culture?

eta - I noticed this morning that there were red squiggles over the face but didn't see anything else - the picture you how has a whole lot of follow on tags: I don't remember the black and purple stuff there at 8am this morning. An example of the "broken windows" effect in action ?
 
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