Brixton Splash 2016 cancelled over complaints and safety concerns

[editor]

you actually said 'the party', how was I to know that you meant 'after party' this looks like one of those U75 conversation that's not going anywhere as you've got your particular view and see anyone else's comments as against you.

Foolishly, I assumed that might have actually known something about what happens at Splash. It's never gone on late. And yes, I said the 'party' and not 'the Splash event.'

 

[editor]

I did actually live in the centre of where Splash happened.

It was one day a year.

The same criticisms of Splash are the same ones directed at the Notting Hill Carnival. There are moves to make it NNC take place elsewhere in a cordoned off environment rather than a street festival.

What I am concerned about is move toward sanitised public events.

For all its faults on balance I support Splash.

I didn’t like all the Jasper bollox and the stuff about it it being inclusive. Even Afro Carribean people I know got annoyed that its in there eyes for "Jamaicians". As though every one of Afro Carribean descent in Brixton is from Jamaica.

I do understand that not everyone who lives in central Brixton was happy at all aspects. We used to have non Splash stalls just pitching up outside our building ( not on the public pavement) , making a mess and having a bad attitude when approached. Not respectful of existing residents.

I think the refocussing from an event celebrating the diversity of Brixton - as in all the cultures - into something that is primarily promoted as an Afro Caribbean/dance/soundsystem party has made things worse.

 

[Gramsci]

I think the refocussing from an event celebrating the diversity of Brixton - as in all the cultures - into something that is primarily promoted as an Afro Caribbean/dance/soundsystem party has made things worse.

I agree. Jasper did not help matters in that regard.

I do take issue with the Council statement:

A spokesperson for Lambeth council said: “Sadly, last year’s event became a victim of its own success and we need to pause it for this year, let the community take it back to its roots as a safe, fun event for everyone with professional organisation. Road closures, a lack of stewards and inadequate crowd control have added to a sense from local people that the event is too big, too uncontrolled and potentially dangerous.”

I never felt unsafe whilst I was in the midst of Splash. Nor did I feel it was potentially dangerous. Mostly when I was in the crowds I felt that people were there just to get on. That is the people who turned up to party were ok bunch. People in large crowds police themselves. Reminds me of programme about managing crowds I listened to a while back. Crowds are seen by authorities as potentially dangerous but in practise they are not.

 

[ash]

Foolishly, I assumed that might have actually known something about what happens at Splash. It's never gone on late. And yes, I said the 'party' and not 'the Splash event.'

Oh I get you now. That's fine then; I would be really pissed off being kept awake by Splash itself but as it's the after party it wouldn't bother me at all. I also assume that Splash didn't create the after party it must be an entity in its own right?
Foolishly, I've only been to Splash during the day to avoid the crowds so clearly I'm not entitled to a viewpoint.

 

[editor]

Oh I get you now. That's fine then; I would be really pissed off being kept awake by Splash itself but as it's the after party it wouldn't bother me at all. I also assume that Splash didn't create the after party it must be an entity in its own right?
Foolishly, I've only been to Splash during the day to avoid the crowds so clearly I'm not entitled to a viewpoint.

You're absolutely entitled to your viewpoint over the non existent late night disruption you've never experienced over Splash.

 

[Gramsci]

Brixton Splash

This reads to me that cash strapped Council, hit by drastic governments cuts, is looking at the costs.

Same goes for Met.

 

[Gramsci]

Brixton Splash

Flagrant drug use,

Oh dear I am appalled.

What is the world coming to.

 

[editor]

Brixton Splash

This reads to me that cash strapped Council, hit by drastic governments cuts, is looking at the costs.

Same goes for Met.

And still they repeat the same fucking bullshit:

The annual street festival was set up in 2006 by Ros Griffiths and other prominent Brixtonians as a community run event, celebrating the cultural diversity and history of Brixton

The actual facts:

The street festival was the brainchild of former Prince Albert landlord, Pat Clark, who first posted up his plans on the urban75 forums in May 2006, deciding on the name Brixton Splash a few days later. The first festival took place on 13th August 2006 and it celebrated its tenth anniversary last year.

 

[Winot]

Email sent to Ferndale residents:

Dear Ferndale residents:
Below is the text of an open community letter which has been sent out by community representatives listed at the end.
Many Ferndale residents complained about the bad management of the 2015 Brixton Splash event, and the Council took all those into consideration in dealing with the application for a 2016 event, which has been turned down on community safety grounds. The community representative involved have all agreed to work together to plan a safe, community-led event for 2017. If you would like to be involved in those discussions, please just say.
Regards,
Cllr Paul McGlone
LABOUR COUNCILLOR FOR FERNDALE WARD
Lambeth Council

 

[Gramsci]

Email sent to Ferndale residents:

I would be interested in seeing what the open community letter said.

Splash took place in Coldharbour Ward not Ferndale. So wonder what the issue was up in Ferndale.

 

[Rushy]

I would be interested in seeing what the open community letter said.

Splash took place in Coldharbour Ward not Ferndale. So wonder what the issue was up in Ferndale.

Tunstall Road is in Ferndale. There was quite a big campaign from residents there. It was pretty grim. One guy who tried to stop people pissing in his garden and trashing his neighbour's car ended up relying on a door gate to stop a gang chasing him into his house.

 

[Gramsci]

Just had a read of the defrief on the event.

• lack of stewards is an issue that keeps cropping up. Also appears there was little direct communication between the organisers and Council/ Police to deal with problems as the arose on the day. Which is pretty poor show by the organisers. I was steward at the Housing march and we dealt directly with the Police to defuse a few possible confrontations.

• Little engagement with the business in the area in run up to event. In particular Brixton Village.

• The problem of people setting up food stalls with no permission came up. The organisers did little to stop this. (This happened every year. Particular problem at my old place. Seemed to me that the event organisers did not see it as there problem to deal with.) Even the bona fide food stalls complained about this problem.

 

[ash]

Just had a read of the defrief on the event.

• lack of stewards is an issue that keeps cropping up. Also appears there was little direct communication between the organisers and Council/ Police to deal with problems as the arose.

• Little engagement with the business in the area in run up to event. In particular Brixton Village.

• The problem of people setting up food stalls with no permission came up. The organisers did little to stop this. (This happened every year. Particular problem at my old place. Seemed to me that the event organisers did not see it as there problem to deal with.) Even the bona fide food stalls complained about this problem.

I must admit the food hygiene at some stalls was worrying; massive barrels of chicken marinating in the sun!? The turnover was massive but still looked concerning. As a vegetarian it didn't affect me but didn't look good.

 

[Gramsci]

I must admit the food hygiene at some stalls was worrying; massive barrels of chicken marinating in the sun!? The turnover was massive but still looked concerning. As a vegetarian it didn't affect me but didn't look good.

The Council officers for food said standard was good on the day in the debrief. But complaints from the traders of food stalls set up without permission.

 

[Gramsci]

It would have been useful if Splash organisers had made more effort to provide contacts for the day for residents to deal with any issues.

Impression I got of Splash is that they did not engage with local residents. A lot of people live in central Brixton. Always gets forgotten.

 

[Gramsci]

This from the debrief:

8.
Environmental Health

Ambassadors were not helpful in closing down rushcroft Square event
and did not support Council Staff as had been agreed.

Board Member attended as called and was not supportive.

Hugely confrontational scenario where it was deemed unsafe and had
paperwork ready to shut down.

Disappointing as it wasn’t the partnership working that has been
submitted.

Inadequate individuals overseeing road closures. Council staff had to
oversee walking out an illegal ice cream van at 13.30 from Vining Street.

Illegal Street traders were not dealt with as per the plans it was just the
Council and Police dealing with them

I would say these are issues that occured each year which let the event down for local residents. Not a feeling one could complain on the day about anything. Wonder who the board member was?

 

[Gramsci]

Still think these issues are not insurmountable enough to stop event this year.

Lack of engagement with local residents is the issue for me.

 

[editor]

Still think these issues are not insurmountable enough to stop event this year.

Lack of engagement with local residents is the issue for me.

It also needs to step back from letting itself come across as one almighty, mash-it-up, having it large street party. I'd love to see live music/performance/local talent put more to the front, with a truly diverse set of acts onstage from whimsical to rocking. A sort of musical Country Show, if you will.

 

[Ms T]

It felt pretty out of control last year. And the amount of rubbish that hadn't been cleared up by Monday morning was unbelievable.

 

[superfly101]

I never felt unsafe whilst I was in the midst of Splash. Nor did I feel it was potentially dangerous. Mostly when I was in the crowds I felt that people were there just to get on. That is the people who turned up to party were ok bunch. People in large crowds police themselves. Reminds me of programme about managing crowds I listened to a while back. Crowds are seen by authorities as potentially dangerous but in practise they are not.

Well bully for you and your disregard for anybody else!

People who have a less socail media awareness might have had to shop or provide for their families on their way home from un-social hours .

Fuck them as long as you can safely party

 

[Rushy]

Still think these issues are not insurmountable enough to stop event this year.

Lack of engagement with local residents is the issue for me.

Really? To me it reads more like a catalogue of willful negligence and incompetence. The organisers were complacent and clearly didn't give two shits.

Lambeth, however, are part to blame for not properly assessing or conditioning the application. For instance, the provision of about 15 toilets in total for an event licenced for 15,000 apparently met with their approval simply on account of being an improvement on the provisions the year before. Lambeth blamed too many people turning up but even at the licenced numbers the provisions were woefully inadequate.

 

[Winot]

I would be interested in seeing what the open community letter said.

Splash took place in Coldharbour Ward not Ferndale. So wonder what the issue was up in Ferndale.

Sorry, didn't see that bit. Here it is:

Dear Friend,
As you know, the Brixton Splash street festival has been an annual fixture since 2006, when it was set up as a community run event, celebrating the cultural diversity and history of Brixton.
It is due to the inspiration and commitment of Pat Clark, former landlord of the Prince Albert pub on Coldharbour Lane, social entrepreneur Ros Griffiths and reggae producer Blacker Dread that Brixton Splash came into being.
We are keen to retain this spirit of community celebration and are heartened by the number of organisations who want to work together to put on another brilliant Splash event.
However for this to work successfully we need at least a year to rethink the event, reach out to new communities to participate and to organise effectively. We are aiming for a Splash event for 2017.
The year break is important because since those early days, Splash has become a victim of its own success with ever increasing numbers coming to Brixton. That has brought it’s own problems. Last year, there were a large number of complaints from residents and businesses who expressed concerns that the event was too big, too uncontrolled and the cost of policing and cleaning up were too expensive.
Quite simply, we want Splash to return to its original objectives, to be a safe, community-led event, which is a positive boost for Brixton. As a result Lambeth council, along with partners including police, transport and business have turned down the application for Brixton Splash 2016.
Our objective is to bring back a better, safer organised Splash event in 2017.
We hope you will get involved with plans for 2017 and Brixton Splash can once again be a safe and fun family and community event.
Lib Peck, Leader of Lambeth Council
Ros Griffiths, Former founder member of Brixton Splash
Be Atwell, Former founder member of Brixton Splash
Ade Sawyer, Equinox Consulting
Tina Jennings, Brixton Night Market
Richard Wood, Borough Commander, MPS
Devon Thomas, Chair, Brixton Neighbourhood Forum & the Black Heritage Group
Paul Reid, Artistic Director of The Black Cultural Archives

 

[Gramsci]

Well bully for you and your disregard for anybody else!

People who have a less socail media awareness might have had to shop or provide for their families on their way home from un-social hours .

Fuck them as long as you can safely party

What are you going on about? Whats media awareness got to do with it? Today I was out and about and noticed children now seem au fait with smart phones in a way I am not. There is a whole young generation growing up taking social media for granted. Its just part of life now not the preserve of a minority.

I used to live in central Brixton. Its a mixed area of shops, residential and entertainment. I accept that is going to lead to taking a reasonably tolerant attitude to that events like this.

Its a once a year event. Im not a clubber or much of a party animal. But I accept others are.

If you had read my posts I take a critical view of some aspects of Splash but think it should continue.

Its a balance. I have opposed further change of use of shops to bars/ clubs and at times made noise complaints. I have also given advice to other resident groups on planning and licensing in the past.

Hardly show disregard for others and has led me to be in conflict with the entertainment sector in Brixton. Which I have got flack for.

I try to take a middle line on this. Live and let live where possible.

 

[Gramsci]

It also needs to step back from letting itself come across as one almighty, mash-it-up, having it large street party. I'd love to see live music/performance/local talent put more to the front, with a truly diverse set of acts onstage from whimsical to rocking. A sort of musical Country Show, if you will.

The event to compare it to is Brixton Come Together. Which which worked well.Mainly organised by the Latin American community in Brixton.

I know there are people in the Afro Caribbean community who see Splash as taking back Brixton for a day.

The underlying criticisms of Splash are that it does not represent the diversity of Brixton as a place where multiculturalism works in practise from below.

These issues are touchy subjects to deal with. Whilst different groups rub along there are also potential conflicts.

Nor is there a way to discuss them imo.

I wonder of the motives of a Labour Council stopping this event. Is it purely about complaints? Or is it they are nervous of what Splash represented?

 

[Gramsci]

Really? To me it reads more like a catalogue of willful negligence and incompetence. The organisers were complacent and clearly didn't give two shits.

Lambeth, however, are part to blame for not properly assessing or conditioning the application. For instance, the provision of about 15 toilets in total for an event licenced for 15,000 apparently met with their approval simply on account of being an improvement on the provisions the year before. Lambeth blamed too many people turning up but even at the licenced numbers the provisions were woefully inadequate.

Fair enough. Notting Hill Carnival gets the same kind of criticism every year.

As the report shows a lot of people were coming from outside Brixton to the event. The bit about the Underground Station being under stress with all the people.

In a city I am not sure what to do about this.

 

[Mr Retro]

As the report shows a lot of people were coming from outside Brixton to the event. The bit about the Underground Station being under stress with all the people.

In a city I am not sure what to do about this.

Close BrIxton tube for the day and advertise this widely? I wonder how many people would bother coming if it wasn't totally convenient for them?

I was living in trinity gardens for Splash last year and the amount of people pissing in that little mews part on the same side but opposite end of the street from The Trinity was so bad that the residents were talking of gating it off afterwards.

 

[twistedAM]

Close BrIxton tube for the day and advertise this widely? I wonder how many people would bother coming if it wasn't totally convenient for them?

I was living in trinity gardens for Splash last year and the amount of people pissing in that little mews part on the same side but opposite end of the street from The Trinity was so bad that the residents were talking of gating it off afterwards.

That was my knee-jerk thought but people live and work here and need the tube. Also the buses would be chaotic and the roads would be way worse than previous years.
Brixton lies on the main road to the south and is also a terminus for the tube so any closures would have a big impact on the rest of south London.

 

[Ol Nick]

I don't like Brixton Splash. There's nothing about it that interests me and the physical crush is intimidating as I reach my creaky knees age. But should we cancel it? In 10 years there has been one post-Splash shooting on Brighton Terrace (2008? it was a sunny one), 1 riot (2011), at least two tropical downpours (maybe 3). Every year there's a filthy mess in the streets and the side streets back to a variable high tide mark are covered in piss, vomit and fast food.

Now I have long long history with piss, vomit and fast food, but I don't think there's any reason to inflict it unconditionally on the residents of central Brxiton. So? Move it out. Find out where the demand and tolerance for this is and have it there. Surely somewhere east or south of the town centre would have the space and inclination to host it. Plus you'd reduce the out-of-towner visitor footprint by making it more local. See the Stockwell Festival for a good template. Though of course they were cancelled too. Merge the two?

 

[EastEnder]

I don't like Brixton Splash. There's nothing about it that interests me and the physical crush is intimidating as I reach my creaky knees age. But should we cancel it? In 10 years there has been one post-Splash shooting on Brighton Terrace (2008? it was a sunny one), 1 riot (2011), at least two tropical downpours (maybe 3). Every year there's a filthy mess in the streets and the side streets back to a variable high tide mark are covered in piss, vomit and fast food.

I hope you're not trying to blame the riot on Splash!

On that particular day, Splash had gone fine, and most punters had long since dispersed by the time the rioters descended. In fact one of my main memories of that day is that Rushcroft Road had a number of police cars, trucks, etc, parked there all afternoon - presumably policing Splash. Once the crowds associated with Splash had gone, the police also disappeared. It was several hours later that the rioters turned up, and the police weren't there any more.

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Well on the upside there are a fair few street parties happening all over Brixton each year. Here's Claverdale Rd in action: