Lambeth Country Show 2019 - free entry with the Great Wall Of Brockwell back for another year

[editor]

Word is that the "main stage and village green back where they used to be ."

 

[RubyToogood]

Here's this year's map: https://lambethcountryshow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/LCS-2019-Full-Show-Map.pdf

Good to see it's possible to get in from the south end again (Rosendale Rd entrance). And yes the layout looks more or less back to normal.

 

[DJWrongspeed]

thanks for the updates, pretty sad generally that we have to fence off the park to hold event about the Borough in the Borough.
I've been cycling through a few times this week and its like "why the fence?"

 

[nagapie]

Can you take booze in? I haven't been for 2 years so don't know what the border checks are like.

 

[ricbake]

This is the list of prohibited things

• Drugs inc. “Legal Highs” / Nitrous Oxide / Laughing Gas
• Knives / Weapons / Ammunition
• Alcohol
• Unsealed containers of liquid / Unsealed bottles of liquid
• (empty reusable bottles and sealed unopened bottles are allowed)
• Drones / UAVs
• Glass Bottles / Containers
• Perfume Bottles / Aerosols
• BBQs, incl. Disposables
• Air Horns / Smoke Canisters
• Fireworks / Explosives / Flares
• Sparklers / Chinese Lanterns / Candles
• Portable Laser Equipment / Laser Pens
• Horns / Loudhailers
• Spray paints / Graffiti pens
• Flags / Poles
• Tents / Gazebos
• Stereo Systems
• Large Luggage Items
• Bicycles (please use designated cycle parks before entering)
• Professional Filming / Audio Recording Equipment
• (Photography with professional equipment, such as DSLR, is permitted)
• High-Vis Bibs / Jackets / Vests – to be worn by event staff only
• Any other articles that may be a danger to the public or cause nuisance – this is at the discretion of show security.

 

[Rushy]

Oh dear. Looking a bit soggy out there.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Lambeth Country Show
View attachment 174490

Does any one know what the Borough Safety Advisory group is?
Have they publish any figures for attendance last year?
Are they going to bus in the "experienced security staff" from the other side of the country again?

100,000 people? Really?

 

[editor]

I took a quick walk around. Some observations.

The main stage is much smaller in size while the once-intimate Village Green stage is now nearly the same size, which alters the vibe quite a bit.
The nearest entrance from Brixton takes you all the way around to the Lido, which is a bit of a schlep.
Removing the entrance/exit next to the main stage could cause problems.
It seemed much quieter overall.
All the bars had metal queue fences attended by beefy security.
The layout is completely different but it works better than last year.
I couldn't find the 'jousting horses' arena. Is it there this year?

 

[editor]

100,000 people? Really?

Judging by today: no fucking chance.

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Went through today and it's pretty easy, you could smuggled in a hipflask easy. it's just sad that it's got this level really.

 

[editor]

I should also add that the event feels much more generic now, with much of its once-unique Brixton character watered down.

 

[editor]

The vegetable sculptures have now been put in a dedicated section, complete with fences and queues. I didn't bother.

 

[Mr Retro]

Same as last year we’re not making the effort to go this year. The fence has made the show feel like the uncle that you can’t decide is aggressive in a friendly way or friendly in an aggressive way has turned up at a family party. But is going to ruin it anyway.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I've said it before, but while I've come down in the past since not living in south london, I'm not going to bother spending however long on the tube to queue to get into Generic Local Festival, get my bag searched and pay £6 for a beer.

I wonder who it _is_ aimed at now, though that would imply that they've thought it through that far.

 

[editor]

Fuck knows what this charlatan nonsense was doing at the show.

 

[editor]

This is what the bars looked like.

 

[colacubes]

I’m going to stick up for the show briefly. They’ve learnt some lessons from last year. More entrances is good. Bag searches were cursory and I could have easily smuggled booze in (although probably easier as a white woman in your 40s tbf). Layout much better. I think putting the veg sculptures in a separate queue was a great idea as for the last few years it’s been impossible to get in the flower tent.

I’d love them to get rid of the fence and it to rewind a few years, but that’s unlikely to happen. However, I think they’ve done a much better job than last year imho.

 

[nagapie]

What entrance can I get in on the Tulse Hill side?

 

[Mr Retro]

I’m going to stick up for the show briefly. They’ve learnt some lessons from last year. More entrances is good. Bag searches were cursory and I could have easily smuggled booze in (although probably easier as a white woman in your 40s tbf). Layout much better. I think putting the veg sculptures in a separate queue was a great idea as for the last few years it’s been impossible to get in the flower tent.

I’d love them to get rid of the fence and it to rewind a few years, but that’s unlikely to happen. However, I think they’ve done a much better job than last year imho.

Fair points. I have no doubt that the fence was put up as a precursor to start charging. The negative effect it has had might prevent charging in the future

 

[editor]

I think putting the veg sculptures in a separate queue was a great idea as for the last few years it’s been impossible to get in the flower tent.

You could still get into the flower tent last year - the sculptures were on one end of the tent and had a separate queue.

 

[editor]

Here's some photos

The entrance to the Farm bit was particularly odd, forcing visitors to navigate a triangle shaped series of fences:

Lambeth Country Show 2019 – seventy photos photos of the first day, Sat 20th July 2019

 

[RubyToogood]

I didn't go last year because I was ill. I have to say it seems pretty much exactly the same as it used to. Maybe whiter, but then Brixton is.

As colacubes says, they just patted my bag a bit.

I was worried it would feel claustrophobic with the fence but it doesn't. I didn't have to queue to get in at all and it's easy enough to get out.

I'm also not drinking atm so that aspect of it doesn't bother me.

I imagine it's really knife crime they're worried about.

 

[ricbake]

Spent the afternoon there - It felt better than last year but it is not what it was...

Updated it is now much more commercial and an event rather than a community occasion

Going to go again tomorrow, to gauge it some more, but the changes seem inevitable and irreversible

The only way to recover it would be to fund it independently

Would take huge dedication to crowd fund it in anyway

Heritage Lottery

 

[Ian49]

I grew up and lived in Brixton from 74 to 1997 I was first taken to the country show by my parents and later went every year with friends. Back then it had a real family/community feel. With farm animals cows, goats etc which has got less and less over the years. One writer put it had got whiter. This is true over the last 5 years but I guess this is down to re-gentrification which does not bother me. The fencing off the show still seems bizzare to me. I do not see what difference it has made. I still feel it is a great family day out however Sunday in my opinion is always the better day. P.s I did not queue up to get in at the Herne hill end

The entrance to the Farm bit was particularly odd, forcing visitors to navigate a triangle shaped series of fences:

Lambeth Country Show 2019 – seventy photos photos of the first day, Sat 20th July 2019[/QUOTE]

 

[Smick]

.

 

[Gramsci]

The Country Fair has been going since 1974. During this time the economy and politics of this country have changed and been at times tumultuous yet throughout all this time the Council has supported the Country Fair as an important cultural event for all.

Its only in last few years that its been questioned.

The gradual commercialisation of the Country Fair , the way that Joe public are slowly been pushed to accept these changes as irreversible and just how things are shows lack of leadership from a supposedly Labour Council.

Worst is the drip drip of insinuations of public safety that requires a fence.

A few observations and comments I got from other people.

It. is more commercial. The local charity groups were spread out all over the place. None of the information tents had any idea where the local groups were. Took me half an hour to find Brixton Society.

Teenagers are absent. Feeling is they aren't encouraged to come any more unless with parents.

Thus excluding section of the community.

I do feel teenagers get a raw deal in general in Lambeth.

The no alcohol policy is a joke. What happens is load of people come to fair come out and drink around the outside of the fence. Its ludicrous policy to stop people bringing in their own cans. I leave the fair and on the grass lot of people having picnics just outside entrance.

I don't like the new layout. The traditional activities are shoved to far edges. It does feel like its moving from being a Country Fair to more about the stages and beer tents.

 

[BusLanes]

Popped in for a couple of hours - seemed alright but I was mainly there to see the sheep and goats. I met three different people I knew almost immediately (not sheep or goats, mind) so it had it's moments.

 

[Smick]

I've just been with the kids. We watched the adrenaline motorbike show and the dog display team, both of which were very good. Then spent twenty quid with the carnival folks, with which the kids were delighted and I wasn't.

It was fine. I had to explain why I was bringing an aluminium bottle of water in. She said that she shouldn't have let me bring it, because it was unsealed, but she would let me away with it as I had the kids.

In these times of trying to avoid single use plastic, is it right to encourage sealed soft drink bottles?

Plenty of people buying overpriced drinks inside. And a friend of mine told me he spent £8 on churros.

 

[Smick]

Also, there was a very well attended samba band playing outside the fence. Plenty of dancing, drinking, merry making. It was great to see that.

 

[TopCat]

Well we had music and home made cider outside the fence all day yesterday. No hassle.