Citydash is coming to Brixton

[Gramsci]

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. If they are not intruding into peoples homes, communal areas and that. I don't think it is so terrible. But what is to stop people just running along and joining in. Will theycall the police.They are stealing fun.

As has been previously pointed out they use security to make sure that doesn't happen. See links to press reports in earlier posts.

 

[xenon]

As has been previously pointed out they use security to make sure that doesn't happen. See links to press reports in earlier posts.

Fairpoint. I should read Those. I am not making light of The forceful monetisation of public space. For want of a better phrase.

 

[editor]

Just a reminder of what these clowns got up to:

A ‘game’ where people chase each other around has been criticised for having ‘checkpoints’ inside council estates where people live.

Citydash is described as a ‘high-energy scavenger hunt crossed with hide-and-seek’, and has received rave reviews in publications like Time Out.

Players basically need to run around trying to find clues in various checkpoints on a map, while being chased by ‘guards’ in hi-viz jackets and caps saying ‘SECURITY’.

However, 11 of the checkpoints in its Hammersmith game are located inside council residences where people are currently living – meaning players are encouraged to run around outside people’s homes.
One witness, who wished to remain anonymous, told Metro.co.uk: ‘Members of the public were nervous about seeing the “guards” in hi-viz jackets and “security” hats chasing people, and players were running around mothers with prams.

‘One of the checkpoints was in a residential stairwell, while another was on the side of a place of worship.

‘It’s the principle of running something unaffordable in a council estate that gets to me.’

People are paying £20 to run around council estates for bants

A Peabody spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: ‘Citydash looks like a great way for Londoners to explore the city in new and interesting ways. I’m sure many Peabody residents might fancy taking part with their friends.

‘But our estates, where people live, are private property. The courtyards are supposed to be a place for the community that lives there, not for commercial ventures like this one.

And Shirley, from Queen Caroline estate’s tenants and residents association, told Metro.co.uk that while they appreciate this event would be a lot of fun, they had some issues with the way it was held.

‘We are definitely not kill-joys, but the Citydash event does pose some potential problems for residents,’ she said. ‘Firstly, the sight of people running around and being pursued (especially by people in high-vis jackets who look like security personnel) may cause considerable anxiety and distress.

‘Secondly, it rather rankles that this is a commercial event that costs £20 per participant, which would be way too costly for most residents – so they are having to watch an activity they can’t join.

‘Lastly, there is the general disruption and potential for accidents, especially if clues are being placed close to homes or play areas.’

She added: ‘It would also be usual for the company to make a financial contribution to the TRA, to be used for the benefit of residents. Commonly this has happened in the past when, for instance, filming has taken place on the estate.

‘In this case, perhaps the company would like to make a donation or else provide some free tickets for residents to take part in a future event?’

 

[xenon]

Ok. Yep That is piss taking. There are of course plenty of fripperous activities that many people cannot afford. But it's treating peoples living space, their estates, communal areas, as a playground, with Mock security goons that makes this pointedly obnoxious

 

[Yossarian]

Sounds like this might be fun, for people who are into that kind of thing, but there's no way they should be doing this anywhere near people's homes when they can go play in the City of London or somewhere else that's mostly deserted at weekends - nobody wants to bump into these people when they're trying to go about their Saturday.

 

[Idaho]

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. If they are not intruding into peoples homes, communal areas and that. I don't think it is so terrible. But what is to stop people just running along and joining in. Will theycall the police.They are stealing fun.

Presumably the game has some complexity and structure, and just running around next to them wouldn't work.

 

[bimble]

Nobody here is going to volunteer to take part for £5 and report back from behind enemy lines are they.

 

[salem]

There's no mention of Brixton in the fire-hazard result. See the word it crossed out underneath? The only place that has all the search terms is THIS THREAD.
Do you understand how search engines work?
Jeez.

The search engine got the perfect result in this case and therefore threw it up in the first position above your page! That's exactly how search engines are supposed to work.

The page is a general page for residents discount. Why on earth would they make a new one for each event? It would just look like some sort of SEO spam.

And click the link and you'll see that you enter your email address to get a discount, it looks quite simple really. Maggot found it with no hassle.

 

[ddraig]

The search engine got the perfect result in this case and therefore threw it up in the first position above your page! That's exactly how search engines are supposed to work.

The page is a general page for residents discount. Why on earth would they make a new one for each event? It would just look like some sort of SEO spam.

And click the link and you'll see that you enter your email address to get a discount, it looks quite simple really. Maggot found it with no hassle.

why is it not advertised on the event page then? or mentioned in the terms?

 

[editor]

why is it not advertised on the event page then? or mentioned in the terms?

Indeed. The bizarre suggestion that adding a single link to the residents discount page on the event page (or even mentioning its existence!) would somehow be seen as 'SEO spam' really is off the page stupid.

 

[Idaho]

Nobody here is going to volunteer to take part for £5 and report back from behind enemy lines are they.

I would if I lived near.

 

[editor]

I would if I lived near.

Yes. I imagine it's just the sort of thing you'd love. Imagine the lolz dashing through a socially deprived neighbourhood with your new thrill-seeking chums while being chased by pretend security. Such fun!

 

[Idaho]

Yes. I imagine it's just the sort of thing you'd love. Imagine the lolz dashing through a socially deprived neighbourhood with your new thrill-seeking chums while being chased by pretend security. Such fun!

If this synopsis was the entirety of the experience, then I wouldn't love it. I would expect it to be much more of a game, rather than just randomly running about being chased.

Seeing as all towns and cities are made up of a patchwork of different neighbourhoods, it seems inevitable that all citywide games of this kind would trespass. Just like the people walking or jogging down pavements, or more well to do people driving through in expensive cars or on expensive bicycles.

 

[editor]

If this synopsis was the entirety of the experience, then I wouldn't love it. I would expect it to be much more of a game, rather than just randomly running about being chased.

Seeing as all towns and cities are made up of a patchwork of different neighbourhoods, it seems inevitable that all citywide games of this kind would trespass.

So you're OK with them running through deprived neighbourhoods and pissing off the locals residents because "cities are a patchwork of different neighbourhoods"?

How about they just fucking don't go running through private estates?

 

[Idaho]

So you're OK with them running through deprived neighbourhoods and pissing off the locals residents because "cities are a patchwork of different neighbourhoods"?

How about they just fucking don't go running through private estates?

I have no problem with people running through deprived neighbourhoods. I wouldn't want them to piss anyone off unduly. You have combined the two statements, which suggests that you believe any entry into particular neighbourhoods will piss people off.

If they are private estates, then they should only use with permission.

 

[editor]

I have no problem with people running through deprived neighbourhoods. I wouldn't want them to piss anyone off unduly. You have combined the two statements, which suggests that you believe any entry into particular neighbourhoods will piss people off.

That seems to be the clear message from that earlier article. Perhaps - in your haste to support people having fun and japes in poor neighbourhoods via activities that the residents can't afford - you missed that?

 

[shakespearegirl]

Apart from the huge distaste and fuckwittery of this, If they are running through private property without formal permission that is going to invalidate their insurance..
in these times of heightened security I certainly wouldn't be running an event that could be misconstrued so easily.. only takes one over zealous security person or police officer for this to go very badly wrong

 

[Maggot]

Apart from the huge distaste and fuckwittery of this, If they are running through private property without formal permission that is going to invalidate their insurance..

They are not running through private property, the game is played on the streets.

 

[shakespearegirl]

It has been played on estates with clues placed in places like walkways which are private property.

 

[ddraig]

They are not running through private property, the game is played on the streets.

why are you so keen to defend them?

 

[Maggot]

It has been played on estates with clues placed in places like walkways which are private property.

Yes it has. The news article which Editor keeps quoting, is from one incident nearly a year ago. I haven't seen any complaints since then.

 

[Maggot]

why are you so keen to defend them?

Why are you so keen to attack them?

 

[shakespearegirl]

Yes it has. The news article which Editor keeps quoting, is from one incident nearly a year ago. I haven't seen any complaints since then.

It only takes one incident! The implications if someone gets injured or killed are very serious.

 

[ddraig]

Why are you so keen to attack them?

i'm hardly attacking them, they are being subject to scrutiny because of the many reasons listed in this thread and their monetising of public and private space that's not theirs.

why don't they have the resident discount on the event page for Brixton and why do you think it's not more obvious?

 

[editor]

Yes it has. The news article which Editor keeps quoting, is from one incident nearly a year ago. I haven't seen any complaints since then.

You haven't answered my question. How would a local resident learn about the existence of this supposed discount when it's not mentioned in the press release, or on the organisers home page, their FAQ page, their archive page, the Brixton event page or the Brixton booking page? I couldn't even find anything on their FB page.

Maybe that's the competition. Find the residents' discount!

 

[Maggot]

You haven't answered my question. How would a local resident learn about the existence of this supposed discount when it's not mentioned in the press release, or on the organisers home page, their FAQ page, their archive page, the Brixton event page or the Brixton booking page? I couldn't even find anything on their FB page.

Why do you keep banging on about this? I don't know and don't care, it's not my organisation. Why don't you ask them?

 

[phillm]

Urban75, ensuring people have the correct type of fun since 1995

 

[phillm]

You haven't answered my question. How would a local resident learn about the existence of this supposed discount when it's not mentioned in the press release, or on the organisers home page, their FAQ page, their archive page, the Brixton event page or the Brixton booking page? I couldn't even find anything on their FB page.

Maybe that's the competition. Find the residents' discount!

Looks like Chris Martin has had to find other things to entertain himeslf since breaking up with Gwyneth.

 

[ddraig]

Why do you keep banging on about this? I don't know and don't care, it's not my organisation. Why don't you ask them?

You cared when you used it as a positive point for the organisers and to bash editor with, not moving the goalposts are you?

 

[Idaho]

I keep thinking this thread will die. It's such a fucking trivial thing. Of all the issues of poverty and living in a busy city, this must be somewhere below feeding pigeons or wide pushchairs on the priority list.