Brockwell Park news, festival updates and more...

[pocketbear]

Yep, several comments already on the Brockwell Tranquillity page, grudgingly accepting that things are being run more smoothly than they'd feared (though who can blame them after Sunfall). Hopefully those good impressions hold.

Another quick thought: it really is very loud, but they've been smart in having only one outdoor stage and pointing it back across the park. Hasn't felt that much louder than the Country Show here on Dulwich Road, except when the wind changes and you get a sudden blast of much louder noise.

 

[Ms T]

I’m just off Railton and can’t hear anything at all.

 

[shakespearegirl]

Lots of complaints about dangerous overcrowding on Twitter

 

[editor]

How about this? Allow Lambeth to put on one weekend commercial festival next year on the proviso that it also directly funds the return of the free fireworks display in the park.

 

[madolesance]

How about this? Allow Lambeth to put on one weekend commercial festival next year on the proviso that it also directly funds the return of the free fireworks display in the park.

Or funds a free and open to all Country Show. How about both!

 

[editor]

Or funds a free and open to all Country Show. How about both!

I thought my proposal was fanciful but yours is the stuff of mushroom bicyles and candyfloss rocket ships!

 

[snowy_again]

How about this? Allow Lambeth to put on one weekend commercial festival next year on the proviso that it also directly funds the return of the free fireworks display in the park.

Is a pair of free tickets all it took?

 

[Rushy]

It's an interesting proposal if you are not a regular park user. But for those of us who use it day in day out, walling the park for four weeks of summer in return for 20 minutes of fireworks does not look like a great trade.

Or funds a free and open to all Country Show. How about both!

Given how much Lambeth say is spent at the show, it's not clear why it can't be self financing.

Could the beloved Lambeth Country Show be self-sustaining?

 

[editor]

Is a pair of free tickets all it took?

I'd like Brockwell Park to have no corporate-owned mega festivals over the summer, but what practical proposals do you have for getting the free firework display back, or is posting up sneery, cheap personal comments the best you can muster?

As a compromise, I could settle for one smaller weekend festival (with less setting up/taking down time) if it meant that we got the fireworks back. The area needs a proper free community event for people to look forward to in November, IMO.

 

[wurlycurly]

edit

 

[wurlycurly]

It's an interesting proposal if you are not a regular park user. But for those of us who use it day in day out, walling the park for four weeks of summer in return for 20 minutes of fireworks does not look like a great trade.



Given how much Lambeth say is spent at the show, it's not clear why it can't be self financing.

Could the beloved Lambeth Country Show be self-sustaining?

 

[editor]

Precisely. It's a preposterous idea. We would be having a completely different discussion if it had rained over the three days, because the ground would have been fucked. Field Day got a very lucky break.

Just to make it clear, I said SMALLER festival. One that wouldn't involve fencing off the park for so long. It's a practical compromise I could accept although I'd rather there be no mega-corp festivals there.

 

[editor]

FB updates:

Just heard that primary school kids have been told that they can't hold their sports day in Brockwell Park because Lambeth are concerned about the impact on the park post the festival. Was anyone aware that Lambeth were going to do this? The primary school kids have been having their sports day in Brockwell Park every year up until now.

Sudbourne primary had to move their sports day to Kennington park which instead of walking they will now have to take public transport.

 

[Ted Striker]

Not sure if there's any where better to put this, but went to Southport Weekender (in London, Saturday only...) in Finsbury park (Not brockwell)

A really really really well executed event. Q to get in 10 mins at peak time, queue for bars properly marshalled and <5 mins. Lots of loos, etc, and, because of the crowd (slightly older house heads) the atmosphere was spot on

Had whopping fears about a wristband that needed to be charged with cash (basically a token system.but with your wtistband), but even that was relatively painless (tho will reserve full judgement as to how the refunds go back on Tuesday (you have a 48hour window to claim back what you don't need).

 

[editor]

Brockwell Park latest

Photo feature: Patches of Brockwell Park left damaged after Field Day and Mighty Hoopla Festivals

 

[aka]

It'll grow back.

 

[T & P]

The patches seem very symmetrical. Presumably they're the footprint of some installation/ stage rather than wear and tear from visitors?

To be fair it does neither look severe not very extensive, I've seen far worse from just foot traffic in wet weather. I'd be very surprised if the Country Show does not cause similar bald patches. Perhaps not a very significant argument to put forward against the event.

 

[Rushy]

The patches seem very symmetrical. Presumably they're the footprint of some installation/ stage rather than wear and tear from visitors?

To be fair it does neither look severe not very extensive, I've seen far worse from just foot traffic in wet weather. I'd be very surprised if the Country Show does not cause similar bald patches. Perhaps not a very significant argument to put forward against the event.

If it were a one off perhaps it would not be a significant argument. But as one of a number of recurring annual events I think it has a huge impact on the quality and nature of Brockwell Park. Remember that for each event large areas are first walled off for about 3 to 4 weeks. After the walls are taken down significant areas are rendered perhaps not entirely unusable but not particularly pleasant to use for a good month to six weeks afterwards.

Is this a park or a venue? According to Lambeth Events Strategy it is now a major events venue. As such it is allowed to host five events of this scale every year including the country show. And unlimited smaller events of less than 20,000 people such as Found and Sunfall

 

[alex_]

Not sure if there's any where better to put this, but went to Southport Weekender (in London, Saturday only...) in Finsbury park (Not brockwell)

A really really really well executed event. Q to get in 10 mins at peak time, queue for bars properly marshalled and <5 mins. Lots of loos, etc, and, because of the crowd (slightly older house heads) the atmosphere was spot on

Had whopping fears about a wristband that needed to be charged with cash (basically a token system.but with your wtistband), but even that was relatively painless (tho will reserve full judgement as to how the refunds go back on Tuesday (you have a 48hour window to claim back what you don't need).

I cashed mine in yesterday, you’ve got another 24 ish hours.

Agreed on all counts, re the event - the average age has got to be mid thirties which makes a huge difference.

Alex

 

[newbie]

Just to correct a couple of things on this thread: one of the kids at the public meeting has a show on Reprezent, but the others have nothing to do with it. None of them have had any contact with Lovebox as far as I can tell. From working with similar stations to Reprezent, the vast majority of DJs on shows like this are unpaid.

It's also worth noting that there were a number of people who criticised the festivals at the meeting, including Peter from FoBP and Rory from Brockwell Tranquility, who didn't declare those connections or interests when speaking. I think if you're going to demand transparency from people on one side of the debate, you should do the same for everyone.

Both the kids and those opposing the festivals had important points which deserved to be heard. The heckling on both sides was disappointing, but the sheer numbers of the latter group made their behaviour particularly embarrassing in my view, particularly given their parallel argument (which I agree with) that this issue would benefit from more open discussion.

as a postscript I note that Reprezent are currently promoting forthcoming live shows from Lovebox in Gunnerbury Park with exclusive interviews and all the razzmatazz.

I listen to Reprezent now and then and wish them well. I'm pleased a little youth access radio station can tie up with a big festival. But there's a slightly bad taste about lobbying as random members of the public when it later transpires there's somewhat more direct self-interest involved.

 

[editor]

as a postscript I note that Reprezent are currently promoting forthcoming live shows from Lovebox in Gunnerbury Park with exclusive interviews and all the razzmatazz.

I listen to Reprezent now and then and wish them well. I'm pleased a little youth access radio station can tie up with a big festival. But there's a slightly bad taste about lobbying as random members of the public when it later transpires there's somewhat more direct self-interest involved.

Yes, it left a sour taste in my mouth too, as did their comments on Buzz at the time which were on a similar theme. I was initially going to give them a fair wedge of cash after the Bowie charity gig I did in Brixton, but they blew that. Besides it turned out they're not a charity either.

But yes, I'm sure some kids really benefit from working with them and I wish them good luck, but I don't like the cut of their jib.

 

[editor]

Interesting piece here: A walk in the park? Not so easy as festivals take over green spaces

 

[editor]

The Great Wall of Brockwell is back

 

[editor]

It's as big and as daunting as the last one

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

looks slightly lower, still fucking ridiculous though.

This week im going to scope out a good spot to shove under/push through/throw over my booze on the weekend.

 

[editor]

Update:

The campaign group Brockwell Tranquility is preparing a legal challenge against Lambeth Councilto try and reduce the number of commercial events that take place in the park.

Only 10% of the profit made by the Council for these festivals finds its way back to Brockwell Park. Lambeth has no public plan to declare where the remaining 90% of the profit is then spent.

A recent court ruling confirmed that all profit from major events at Finsbury Park had to be invested in the park itself.

Lambeth originally claimed that some of the money from events such as Field Day would be spent on the smaller parks in the borough. This commitment has now been scrapped with no alternative spending plan made public.

Brockwell Tranquility is launching a crowd funder la

Brockwell Tranquility planning Judicial Review against Lambeth Council’s policy on major events at Brockwell Park

 

[pocketbear]

as a postscript I note that Reprezent are currently promoting forthcoming live shows from Lovebox in Gunnerbury Park with exclusive interviews and all the razzmatazz.

I listen to Reprezent now and then and wish them well. I'm pleased a little youth access radio station can tie up with a big festival. But there's a slightly bad taste about lobbying as random members of the public when it later transpires there's somewhat more direct self-interest involved.

Just for clarity's sake, my point was about the teenagers at the public meeting, who were no more "lobbying" than anyone else there: they're local residents with their own views on whether these festivals should go ahead, and I think the way they were treated at the meeting and subsequently was an embarrassment.

On the other hand, I'd agree about the other comments from the guy who's actually employed by Reprezent: he made (as I remember it) a fairly brief interjection at the meeting, and a pretty inaccurate comment under the Buzz article, and clearly should have been a bit more transparent in both cases.

To shift the topic slightly: Lambeth originally promised us a follow-up meeting in September to discuss how everything worked out. Has there been any announcement on when (or if) that's happening?

 

[newbie]

Just for clarity's sake, my point was about the teenagers at the public meeting, who were no more "lobbying" than anyone else there: they're local residents with their own views on whether these festivals should go ahead, and I think the way they were treated at the meeting and subsequently was an embarrassment.

On the other hand, I'd agree about the other comments from the guy who's actually employed by Reprezent: he made (as I remember it) a fairly brief interjection at the meeting, and a pretty inaccurate comment under the Buzz article, and clearly should have been a bit more transparent in both cases.

To shift the topic slightly: Lambeth originally promised us a follow-up meeting in September to discuss how everything worked out. Has there been any announcement on when (or if) that's happening?

Fair enough. Lobbying/campaigning/expressing a view... however you characterise it, the fact remains that the only people at the meeting who spoke strongly in favour of LB subsequently turned out to be part of a small organisation, some of whom got a jolly out of it. Maybe that was coincidental, or maybe the LB/Reprezent connection came about because of the meeting and not beforehand, who knows, it's not a massively important point but it is worth noting in passing. I'd say the same about an objector emphasising local issues who later turned out to be involved with a rival event elsewhere.

And yes, Lambeth should produce a factual report on both FD and LCS (attendance profiles, environmental impact, crime figures and so on) and there should be a public meeting before any planning for next year begins.

 

[Tricky Skills]

An FOI for the minutes of the Field Day de-briefing meeting was submitted back on 6 August. Lambeth should legally reply within 20 working days. They haven't even acknowledged the original request yet

 

[BusLanes]

An FOI for the minutes of the Field Day de-briefing meeting was submitted back on 6 August. Lambeth should legally reply within 20 working days. They haven't even acknowledged the original request yet

They're getting quite bad with that kind of thing. I'm still working through a complaint I made in April!