Brixton news, rumours and general chat

[story]

I was stood in a bar the other night and thinking “I wonder who these people are, how they live, where they’ve come from, where they’re going…”. I thought it would be interesting to see a census for a particular area on one busy night. Or just one place. Never gonna happen but it would be interesting.

 

[madolesance]

I do remember a great time around 2013/4 when Brixton was probably going through a gentrifying phase but it was being lead by those who had been living there for many years previous and where passionate about wanting better things for everyone who lives here. Having young children probably helped ,cause most folks wanted and was willing to fight for all the good things. Library's, The Arches and the market on Station Road which was really taking off due to the investment that was available and the folks that where so very passionate about making it happen. The work of the Brixton pound and all of their encouragement on artists/ makers/ creatives made a huge impact. It was defiantly a time when everything felt very positive and central Brixton was buzzing.

 

[Rushy]

I was stood in a bar the other night and thinking “I wonder who these people are, how they live, where they’ve come from, where they’re going…”. I thought it would be interesting to see a census for a particular area on one busy night. Or just one place. Never gonna happen but it would be interesting.

I used to think exactly the same thing. Sounds like it's not far off being possible. I read an article a couple of weeks ago and some techies did a demo with the next Google glasses to demonstrate security issues. In real time they did background searches on people they were walking past in the street and then used that information to start conversations with them and pretend to be old friends "Hey - didn't you go to XX school. I was in the year below you. How's your Dad - Barry isn't it? Congratulations on the promotion ..." etc...

 

[Rushy]

I do remember a great time around 2013/4 when Brixton was probably going through a gentrifying phase but it was being lead by those who had been living there for many years previous and where passionate about wanting better things for everyone who lives here. Having young children probably helped ,cause most folks wanted and was willing to fight for all the good things. Library's, The Arches and the market on Station Road which was really taking off due to the investment that was available and the folks that where so very passionate about making it happen. The work of the Brixton pound and all of their encouragement on artists/ makers/ creatives made a huge impact. It was defiantly a time when everything felt very positive and central Brixton was buzzing.

I agree that was a really positive time. I still have not got my head around the Brixton Pound - does it still exist? I had all mine stuck with a magnet to a pin board and they seem to have disappeared ...

 

[madolesance]

I agree that was a really positive time. I still have not got my head around the Brixton Pound - does it still exist? I had all mine stuck with a magnet to a pin board and they seem to have disappeared ...

There was the Brixton pound and Space Makers trying to inject life, creativity, and entrepreneurialism into Granville Arcade. And the idea that Brixton could become a 'Transition Town'. Oh and the 'Brixton Green' folks who where basically property developers who tried to con the folks of Brixton that by buying some 2 bit shares for pennies then you would have a say in their money making enterprise. 'Brixton Green'! What a bunch of........chancers!

 

[Rushy]

There was the Brixton pound and Space Makers trying to inject life, creativity, and entrepreneurialism into Granville Arcade. And the idea that Brixton could become a 'Transition Town'. Oh and the 'Brixton Green' folks who where basically property developers who tried to con the folks of Brixton that by buying some 2 bit shares for pennies then you would have a say in their money making enterprise. 'Brixton Green'! What a bunch of........chancers!

Spacemakers got a lot of flack at the time too, as I recall.

 

[editor]

Spacemakers got a lot of flack at the time too, as I recall.

They got a lot of flack after they left too.

 

[madolesance]

They got a lot of flack after they left too.

'Spacermakers' as I recall encouraged people to buy into the community by becoming involved, where as 'Brixton Green' encouraged people to buy the community for 1£ a share. Apparently that share would give the holder a voice about how Somerleyton Rd got developed.

 

[editor]

Kudos to Otter Chaos for making such a success of their Brixton Arch business.

 

[editor]

'Spacermakers' as I recall encouraged people to buy into the community by becoming involved, where as 'Brixton Green' encouraged people to buy the community for 1£ a share. Apparently that share would give the holder a voice about how Somerleyton Rd got developed.

Brixton Green were just a bunch of uber capitalist developers chancing their arm by applying liberal doses of communitywash.

Many locals felt that Spacemakers were a kickstarter for gentrification, and I don't think many people can argue that the regeneration of the Village wasn't one of the main factors driving Brixton's gentrification.

There's been a fair bit of discussion and criticism about them on this forum.

 

[madolesance]

Brixton Green were just a bunch of uber capitalist developers chancing their arm by applying liberal doses of communitywash.

Many locals felt that Spacemakers were a kickstarter for gentrification, and I don't think many people can argue that the regeneration of the Village wasn't one of the main factors driving Brixton's gentrification.

There's been a fair bit of discussion and criticism about them on this forum.

My favourite Spacemaker/ kickstarter was the Afghan family who applied for a unit in Brixton Village. They got accepted and started selling soup and salads. Spacemakers supported them with business plans. They left after the initial 3 free months. Hopefully they went on to somewhere else and where able to use all the advice and business skills that they got from the Brixton start-up to thrive else where.

 

[friendofdorothy]

I do remember a great time around 2013/4 when Brixton was probably going through a gentrifying phase ...

2013 - recall a great party in windrush sq attracted people from all over and loads of media interest...
Not sure it helped gentrification.