Brockwell Park news, festival updates and more...

[Rushy]

Thanks for posting the update, though the possibility of moving the cafe out of the main building is no longer on the table.

I took part in the consultations in February and March and was quite heartened by how closely the design team was listening to input. I was one of several people who felt that putting the cafe within the walled stable yard was the wrong solution. The site demands maximum use be made of the grandest spaces and the excellent views.

The latest proposal keeps the cafe dining room in the main building, but moves it to the Picture Room, on the opposite side of the entrance hall. This allows the kitchen and toilets to be in the service wing, thereby freeing up all of the principal rooms on the ground floor in a way consistent with the original logic and architecture of the building.

I'll be interested to see how this is detailed in the planning application.

Are there any drawings showing the latest proposal (post consult)? I was also pretty heartened by how much they appeared to be listening to feedback - though there were not many folk there so it was almost one on one. What they have described with the cafe sounds like pretty much what I suggested too so that's great! I felt quite strongly that park visitors needed to be able to feel ownership of the grand ground floor rooms - combined cafe and non cafe sitting space. The house musn't be somewhere people get to wander around admiring it from outside and then shunted into a cafe in the corner. As long as access to the main ground floor rooms was available, public access to the rest of the building could be pretty limited and used for the events.

 

[RushcroftRoader]

I would be more concerned for the cafe if it was any good. It should be an amazing community resource. What it is right now is simply a terrible place to eat.

 

[editor]

I would be more concerned for the cafe if it was any good. It should be an amazing community resource. What it is right now is simply a terrible place to eat.

I wouldn't call it "terrible," but more basic and cheap - and it could use some improvement - but I'd hate it to get the Brixton Village treatment and go all upmarket.

It must be a tough place to trade though, given the uncertainty of the weather potentially affecting the footfall every day.

 

[Rushy]

I would be more concerned for the cafe if it was any good. It should be an amazing community resource. What it is right now is simply a terrible place to eat.

A cafe rather than The cafe, necessarily . It would be a real shame not to have one.
The incumbents certainly don't make a lot of effort. But I am occasionally drawn to their dirty lasagna and chips.

 

[editor]

Another litter pick this Sunday

Join the Brockwell Park community litter pick, this Sunday, 2nd August 2020

After the success of the first community litter pick last week, clean-up volunteers will be back in action in Brockwell Park this Sunday, meeting at the Brockwell Clock Tower at 11am.

www.brixtonbuzz.com

 

[RushcroftRoader]

A cafe rather than The cafe, necessarily . It would be a real shame not to have one.
The incumbents certainly don't make a lot of effort. But I am occasionally drawn to their dirty lasagna and chips.

If it was run well, it could be brilliant. It would be so popular that it could employ someone to pick up litter around the park during the summer. Also, the current cafe has a monopoly for Brockwell Park, meaning it was impossible, for example, to restore the bowling green with a coffee shack in one of those sheds, as a community asset.

 

[editor]

If it was run well, it could be brilliant. It would be so popular that it could employ someone to pick up litter around the park during the summer. Also, the current cafe has a monopoly for Brockwell Park, meaning it was impossible, for example, to restore the bowling green with a coffee shack in one of those sheds, as a community asset.

The Bowling Green is in a terrible state these days.

 

[Rushy]

If it was run well, it could be brilliant. It would be so popular that it could employ someone to pick up litter around the park during the summer. Also, the current cafe has a monopoly for Brockwell Park, meaning it was impossible, for example, to restore the bowling green with a coffee shack in one of those sheds, as a community asset.

You are right - it certainly does not deserve a monopoly.

 

[RubyToogood]

If it was run well, it could be brilliant. It would be so popular that it could employ someone to pick up litter around the park during the summer. Also, the current cafe has a monopoly for Brockwell Park, meaning it was impossible, for example, to restore the bowling green with a coffee shack in one of those sheds, as a community asset.

Be careful what you ask for. Have a look at the cafes in Dulwich Park and Peckham Rye, and ask yourself if that's really what you want rather than an old-fashioned Italian run park caff that is reasonably affordable.

 

[RushcroftRoader]

Be careful what you ask for. Have a look at the cafes in Dulwich Park and Peckham Rye, and ask yourself if that's really what you want rather than an old-fashioned Italian run park caff that is reasonably affordable.

I completely udnerstand your point. But honestly think you can have a great, affordable cafe doing fantastic food without it charging a fortune. I have my personal view about the Brockwell Park cafe, but it should be packed all of the time if it was good. If it was more popular, it would also cut down on the massive amount of packaging and food waste that is currently generated by people bringing food into the park from outside.

 

[editor]

I completely udnerstand your point. But honestly think you can have a great, affordable cafe doing fantastic food without it charging a fortune. I have my personal view about the Brockwell Park cafe, but it should be packed all of the time if it was good. If it was more popular, it would also cut down on the massive amount of packaging and food waste that is currently generated by people bringing food into the park from outside.

I'm right there with you, but I suspect a lot of people would still prefer to bring in their pizzas from Herne Hill, or - as I've seen a lot of recently - having Deliveroo riders bring it to their picnic spot!

 

[snowy_again]

The House contract also means the one o’clock club had issues selling healthier food

 

[RubyToogood]

I completely udnerstand your point. But honestly think you can have a great, affordable cafe doing fantastic food without it charging a fortune. I have my personal view about the Brockwell Park cafe, but it should be packed all of the time if it was good. If it was more popular, it would also cut down on the massive amount of packaging and food waste that is currently generated by people bringing food into the park from outside.

I'm sure you can but that's not what happens in real life. In reality the council see the opportunity to make some money, set the rents high, it's a monopoly and voila.

 

[Rushy]

I'm sure you can but that's not what happens in real life. In reality the council see the opportunity to make some money, set the rents high, it's a monopoly and voila.

I could be mistaken but IIRC the council tenders that site to the highest bidder periodically. Maybe every 5-10yrs? I seem to recall seeing it done, possibly twice. I remember thinking last time that we must surely be in for a new cafe.

 

[John Schofield]

Brockwell Park stabbing: Section 60 was put in place after police shared fears of ‘rising violence’ at the weekend

A section 60 was in place in Herne Hill and surrounding areas after a boy was stabbed on Thursday afternoon

www.southwarknews.co.uk

Wasn't aware of this incident, or that violence was rising generally.

 

[editor]

Latest: Friends of Brockwell Park issue statement showing concern over Extinction Rebellion campsite being set up in the park

 

[scmw]

Am very interested to see if they leave any mess or damage behind. Hopefully someone can publicise how they leave the park, whether as a positive or a negative.

If there are 200 of them, they could easily spend a few hours each and do a full deep clean of the whole park or some other form of volunteering as an apology.

 

[Mr paulee]

XR have had authorisation for use of Brockwell?

 

[editor]

Am very interested to see if they leave any mess or damage behind. Hopefully someone can publicise how they leave the park, whether as a positive or a negative.

If there are 200 of them, they could easily spend a few hours each and do a full deep clean of the whole park or some other form of volunteering as an apology.

It'll be absolutely nothing compared to the mess that often gets left behind after Lambeth's big commercial events in the park.

 

[Kev424242]

The XR campers left Vauxhall Pleasuere Gardens in spotless condition after their stay last October. The grass was a bit knackered due to the inclement weather, but that recovered obviously. On the last day XR campers helped The Friends Of VPG with some planting/seeding work. The Friends issued a statement complimenting XR after they left.

 

[scmw]

That is really good to hear. The only reason I mention it is that I drive past an environmental camp/HS2 protest on the way to work and they regularly leave rubbish and crap everywhere unfortunately.

The bigger issue is the comment on the ecologically sensitive nature of the park that they are camping in. I have not idea if this is a bit of a red herring but unfortunate if not.

 

[ricbake]

Statement from Lambeth..

Love Lambeth

Lambeth Council responds to occupancy of Brockwell Park by Extinction Rebellion.

love.lambeth.gov.uk

 

[editor]

Statement from Lambeth..

Love Lambeth

Lambeth Council responds to occupancy of Brockwell Park by Extinction Rebellion.

love.lambeth.gov.uk

I've just been to the park. It's small, very tidy and so tucked out of view it took me ages to find it.

 

[ricbake]

I've just been to the park. It's small, very tidy and so tucked out of view it took me ages to find it.

This is hardly "get the hell out of there!" - they must have garnered some respect from the way behaved in Vauxhall...

“While they currently occupy Brockwell Park without authorisation, the council calls on Extinction Rebellion to do what Lambeth residents manage to do perfectly well: respect our green spaces, comply with the byelaws and avoid the risk of transmission of Covid-19 in our borough.” ​

 

[editor]

Photos from the XR camp in Brockwell Park

In photos: Extinction Rebellion camp in Brockwell Park, south London

Yesterday, we ran a piece from the Friends of Brockwell Park (FOBP) berating the Extinction Rebellion camp that had sprung up in the park, so we went along to take a look for ourselves. Here’…

www.brixtonbuzz.com

 

[TopCat]

I was in the park yesterday and saw no sign of them.

 

[editor]

I was in the park yesterday and saw no sign of them.

Took me 20 minutes to find them. The over the top response by the Friends of Brockwell Park has done them no favours at all.

 

[editor]

Here's the directions to the approx location of the site (I've just added this to the piece too)

Brixton Tube Booking Hall to Brixton

www.google.com

 

[TopCat]

Am very interested to see if they leave any mess or damage behind. Hopefully someone can publicise how they leave the park, whether as a positive or a negative.

If there are 200 of them, they could easily spend a few hours each and do a full deep clean of the whole park or some other form of volunteering as an apology.

Why should they apologise?

 

[editor]

Park update. Small tents = bad. Trucks driving over the grass and big fences = OK, it seems.

Meanwhile in Brockwell Park, large fences are once again going up, Sept 2020

There’s been a fair bit of local controversy about Extinction Rebellion setting up a small camp in Brockwell Park, with both the Friends of Brockwell Park (FoBP) and Lambeth Council registeri…

www.brixtonbuzz.com