Brockwell Park news, festival updates and more...

[Rushy]

It's fair to be bothered by the huge fence, but some of the posts on the Brockwell Tranquility page are hilarious....

Posting up pictures of a lorry on the A215 and saying 'Lorry blocking our Herne Hill roads' and another of a small child on a scooter riding along beside the festival fence and the comment 'had to answer some difficult questions from my child today'....

Some perspective please...

Yep. I agree. I guess people are feeling pissed off but powerless and, with all sensible arguments dismissed by Lambeth cabinet members as ideologically driven, are left clutching at straws and venting their anger. So I can see why people do it but it seems pretty counter productive because it distracts from the solid arguments and looks a bit silly.

 

[hungry_squirrel]

It's fair to be bothered by the huge fence, but some of the posts on the Brockwell Tranquility page are hilarious....

Posting up pictures of a lorry on the A215 and saying 'Lorry blocking our Herne Hill roads' and another of a small child on a scooter riding along beside the festival fence and the comment 'had to answer some difficult questions from my child today'....

Some perspective please...

The thing is, they would get a lot more sympathy if they were more moderate in their criticism. I saw one person tweeting the acts saying that they should be ashamed and honestly, that just feels rude.

 

[alex_]

The thing is, they would get a lot more sympathy if they were more moderate in their criticism. I saw one person tweeting the acts saying that they should be ashamed and honestly, that just feels rude.

There is someone tweeting about are the ducklings going to survive. I’m not sure what they think field day is, but they make it sound like ozzfest twinned with the battle of the Somme.

Alex

 

[Nanker Phelge]

There is someone tweeting about are the ducklings going to survive. I’m not sure what they think field day is, but they make it sound like ozzfest twinned with the battle of the Somme.

Alex

I read that and thought about Ozzy...ha ha.

There's another talking about how the little directional flags are colourful and may attract a toddler who may lose an eye because of the sharp edges

Someone replied 'like a twig?'

 

[alex_]

I read that and thought about Ozzy...ha ha.

There's another talking about how the little directional flags are colourful and may attract a toddler who may lose an eye because of the sharp edges

Someone replied 'like a twig?'

This is the problem with nimbys, they are so melodramatic that it’s pretty hard to have sympathy with them.

Sure Lambeth have handled this badly, but the park is hardly “ruined”, and if your kids need “serious explaining” about a fence - then what the fuck are you going to do when they learn about the holocaust ?

Alex

 

[Nanker Phelge]

This is the problem with nimbys, they are so melodramatic that it’s pretty hard to have sympathy with them.

Sure Lambeth have handled this badly, but the park is hardly “ruined”, and if your kids need “serious explaining” about a fence - then what the fuck are you going to do when they learn about the holocaust ?

Alex

Another's posted up how a death metal album poster on the fences had upset her children.....ha ha.

Who are these people? What bubble do they live in? What kind of children do they have?

Ok - it was a picture of clasped hands with nails through them, but hey, aint they ever seen Jesus on the cross?

 

[editor]

Another's posted up how a death metal album poster on the fences had upset her children.....ha ha.

Who are these people? What bubble do they live in? What kind of children do they have?

Ok - it was a picture of clasped hands with nails through them, but hey, aint they ever seen Jesus on the cross?

I think there is a very serious discussion to be had about multi million enterprises fencing off a vast chunk of the park for their profit making activities, but some of the people complaining seem to think they're living in a sleepy Dorset village and expect perfect silence throughout the whole of summer.

I think Field Day is too big for Brockwell park but I have no problem with smaller, more community-focused festivals taking place on public parks, on the proviso that there is a reasonable financial return for the council and that money goes back into the park, rather than propping up vanity projects and failing policies elsewhere.

 

[T & P]

I miss Summer Rites so much...

 

[Nanker Phelge]

I think there is a very serious discussion to be had about multi million enterprises fencing off a vast chunk of the park for their profit making activities, but some of the people complaining seem to think they're living in a sleepy Dorset village and expect perfect silence throughout the whole of summer.

I think Field Day is too big for Brockwell park but I have no problem with smaller, more community-focused festivals taking place on public parks, on the proviso that there is a reasonable financial return for the council and that money goes back into the park, rather than propping up vanity projects and failing policies elsewhere.

Yep, I'm with you.

Field Day is too big for Brockwell, but it is happening now, and the petty stuff online is just silly.

I am going along on Friday, and I'm excited to be seeing Ms Badu in our park, but I get the issues around this.

I am going to compare and contrast.

 

[editor]

Yep, I'm with you.

Field Day is too big for Brockwell, but it is happening now, and the petty stuff online is just silly.

I am going along on Friday, and I'm excited to be seeing Ms Badu in our park, but I get the issues around this.

I am going to compare and contrast.

I might be covering it for Buzz too....

 

[alex_]

I think there is a very serious discussion to be had about multi million enterprises fencing off a vast chunk of the park for their profit making activities.

They are paying Lambeth.

some of the people complaining seem to think they're living in a sleepy Dorset village and expect perfect silence throughout the whole of summer.

Which is completely retarded, but common eg people thinking they live in abbeville “village” less than 200m from the south circular.

Alex

 

[editor]

They are paying Lambeth

And you know the particular details of how much Lambeth are being paid?

 

[alex_]

No, but I’d love too.

Alex

 

[sleaterkinney]

No, but I’d love too.

Alex

Take a guess.

 

[alex_]

Take a guess.

500k ?

 

[sleaterkinney]

500k ?

They could raise 120k.

https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/lsp-brockwell-park-summer-2018-events-2.pdf

But tbh, I just don't think the park is suitable for a big music festival.

 

[wurlycurly]

I might be covering it for Buzz too....

!!! Don't you think that's a tad hypocritical?

 

[Rushy]

£500K is what Lambeth publicly implied was the income from each event (a million total). They refused to disclose it accurately because it was commercially sensitive but said it was around that figure. Only when it was pointed out to them that an income over £500,000 would subject the application to greater scrutiny did they admit it was a bit under that figure for each event.

Once the decision to allow the festival had been made they were supposed to publish the income as part of the report. They did not. In fact they did not even publish the report.

Under threat of Judicial Review Lambeth effectively admitted that the decision had been taken illegally. They were forced to cancel the original decision to permit the events and retake it, publishing all sorts of information which they had failed to provide before, including the actual income which they now described as “around £300,000”.

But then it turns out that around £300,000 includes the refundable damage waiver which is obviously not income. The hire fee for the park appears to have been somewhere south of £250,000 – it’s not clear by how much. The £120,000 Park Investment levy destined for Brockwell and referred to by Sleaterkinney has reduced to about £35,000.

As pat of the Big Sell, Field Day also committed to invest in local community projects via the Field Day Community Fund. This appears to be largely dependent upon their raising funds from punters on the day – no agreed sum and little or nothing out of their own pocket.

This deliberate obfuscation was the same with the setting of new higher noise limits. Independent tests by a sound engineer suggested the new levels were well above limits set out in Noise Council Code of Practice and referenced in official Health & Safety Executive guidance. The head of Lambeth Events promised in front of a public meeting that levels had been professionally calculated specifically for Brockwell Park and written up in a report. It needed an FOI to reveal that Lambeth had been advised by their consultants to do this but the tests were never carried out.

And the same with the environmental report (referred to by the Head of Events but again, never actually done). They pieced one together after the threat of judicial review but the document simply states that further reports need to be carried out. The build is almost complete and these have not been produced.

Not to mention people receiving letters advising them of a six week consultation extension ... ending just two days (a weekend!) after the date on the letter.

I can totally see why people are turned off by some of the more delicate objections which have arisen of late. I struggle with them myself. But there are still very valid questions about the suitability of Brockwell for such a huge scale event and its impact on / benefit to the local community. Not to mention the real issues of local government openness, accountability and democracy.

 

[editor]

!!! Don't you think that's a tad hypocritical?

Brixton Buzz covers local news. There's quite a few events/articles/listings that we've covered that I don't personally agree with but given that it's not my personal blog, I don't think it's 'hypocritical' to go along to notable events in the area and give an honest review of what I see from the perspective of a Brixton-based news outlet.

Of course, it's a delicate balance but I'm not going to think something is great if I think it's shit, and I'll certainly express my personal opinion here or on my blog, like I've always done.

That's what I like about doing Buzz. We're not beholden to anyone, we're under no obligation to write nice things when people give us free tickets or drinks, and are free to write whatever we like. And that's what I'll do, if I decide to go, and if I slag them off, at least it will be from an informed position.

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

and i thought the argument against Field Day by saying kids were trying to revise was far fetched, some of the stuff described above is downright ridiculous

 

[Nanker Phelge]

and i thought the argument against Field Day by saying kids were trying to revise was far fetched, some of the stuff described above is downright ridiculous

If you wanna have a laugh at NIMBY whining then it's the page to visit....

"I'm wondering how the heck I can get my two nieces safely from Rosendale to the greenhouses on Tuesday when all the 'public access' (ha!) routes seem to lead to just more walls & barriers!"

It's like a Kafka novel out there....

 

[wurlycurly]

This is an awesome post.

Brixton Buzz covers local news. There's quite a few events/articles/listings that we've covered that I don't personally agree with but given that it's not my personal blog, I don't think it's 'hypocritical' to go along to notable events in the area and give an honest review of what I see from the perspective of a Brixton-based news outlet.

Of course, it's a delicate balance but I'm not going to think something is great if I think it's shit, and I'll certainly express my personal opinion here or on my blog, like I've always done.

That's what I like about doing Buzz. We're not beholden to anyone, we're under no obligation to write nice things when people give us free tickets or drinks, and are free to write whatever we like. And that's what I'll do, if I decide to go, and if I slag them off, at least it will be from an informed position.

I suppose that depends on your definition of what Brixton Buzz is. I'd describe much of what you're doing as journalism, in which case impartiality is critical. Given you're on record as being opposed to the festival (or at least opposed to the site chosen to host it), it's difficult to see how you can give a balanced view. I fully respect you - and your work - but I think you're making a mistake here.

 

[alex_]

This is an awesome post.


I suppose that depends on your definition of what Brixton Buzz is. I'd describe much of what you're doing as journalism, in which case impartiality is critical. Given you're on record as being opposed to the festival (or at least opposed to the site chosen to host it), it's difficult to see how you can give a balanced view. I fully respect you - and your work - but I think you're making a mistake here.

I think this depends on editors review !

If he comes back eulogising the range of Champagne and Fromage, I think we can safely assume something is up.

Alex

 

[Nanker Phelge]

This is an awesome post.


I suppose that depends on your definition of what Brixton Buzz is. I'd describe much of what you're doing as journalism, in which case impartiality is critical. Given you're on record as being opposed to the festival (or at least opposed to the site chosen to host it), it's difficult to see how you can give a balanced view. I fully respect you - and your work - but I think you're making a mistake here.

He is entitled to go along and report on it (even if his starting point is in opposition), and perhaps he is going along open to having his mind changed, and still report that.

Wouldn't that be honest journalism?

 

[Rushy]

Surely the inappropriateness of the site for locals is not incompatible with it being a great gig / performance / festival. The villains are not the punters or the acts. Even Global Entertainment are not really the villains for accepting Lambeth's offer to use the park on this occasion (although I find their tedious PR bullshitting about wanting to be a part of the community, listening to concerns and bringing country values to the city, etc patronising, hollow and objectionable).

It should be possible to say that Erykah Badu rocked and that next time we hope she is rocking the Country Show or a smaller local event of the scale which historically does not tend to attract much by way of objections. Or that passionate music fans will take a twenty minute train journey to a festival in a real field. Or a corner of some Lord's garden.

 

[editor]

This is an awesome post.


I suppose that depends on your definition of what Brixton Buzz is. I'd describe much of what you're doing as journalism, in which case impartiality is critical. Given you're on record as being opposed to the festival (or at least opposed to the site chosen to host it), it's difficult to see how you can give a balanced view. I fully respect you - and your work - but I think you're making a mistake here.

Brixton Buzz has reported on most of the other festivals that have taken place in Brockwell Park and has always given an honest report - e.g. Review: Sunfall at Brockwell Park, south London – a festival of queues

If I go to Field Day, then I'll go there with the opinion that it's far too big a festival for the park, with an inadequate transport infrastructure and the likelihood of local residents getting a rough ride.

If I'm proved wrong, I'll say so, but if I'm proved right I'll write the article accordingly. That to me is how good local journalism works. How else can I give an informed opinion of the actual festival if I don't go and see it for myself?

 

[snowy_again]

Can you check if they make you pay the £10 per person guest list fee? That's how FD have been promoting the generation of funds for the post event community payback things...

Shame to see that Corpus Christi school has stopped taking their kids to the park for their PE sessions because of their safety concerns about the site build. The school doesn't have its own playing fields. #thanksthatcher etc.

 

[editor]

Can you check if they make you pay the £10 per person guest list fee? That's how FD have been promoting the generation of funds for the post event community payback things...

Shame to see that Corpus Christi school has stopped taking their kids to the park for their PE sessions because of their safety concerns about the site build. The school doesn't have its own playing fields. #thanksthatcher etc.

I thought it was well sneaky to loudly trumpet the fact that they were giving back to the community, when in fact they were just adding a tax on the bands' guestlist that cost them nothing at all.

 

[sealion]

The school doesn't have its own playing fields. #thanksthatcher etc.

Like many schools it never did.

 

[snowy_again]

Indeed, and I can see a whole lot of people not paying it (more on the artist side - as, well you know, they're being paid to be talent, not to pick up the pieces). Will also be interesting to see if the actual guests do contribute... and then FD get to hold their hands up and say that it was their guests who didn't support...