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Lee Jasper resigns as Chair of Brixton Splash

Inshops have consulted with Plod, the Fire Brigade and "the chairman of Brixton Splash" and decided that on Sunday 5th August, the Granville Arcade and Market Row will be shut. This is official, all the traders have had a letter about it.

So much for celebrating Brixtons "Diversity". This hardly bodes well for the day.
 
Seems to be more about Jasper taking things away from local businesses.

I've retracted that post as it seemed to be just in my head. :hmm:

I remember some massive debate about black people not being employed that no longer seems to exist. I hope I didn't dream it./ :D
 
What other shops and businesses will be shut? Of course Inshops aren't in Brixton are they so a lack of local knowledge may have led them to rely on police, FB and splash? Say the Satay Bar will make the decision locally not from a distance and not thought to ask anyone else. What level of management for Inshops is in Brixton?

Satay Gallery is up on posters for Brixton Splash as one of the main sponsors. I have seen a few at bus stops.
 
I don't understand why they would want to close the Village down. It makes no sense - unless it's just a ploy to reduce choice and therefore funnel more people into the traders who have signed up/paid up for Splash.

I guess the Police and Fire Brigade said they could not guarentee the safety of the market. In which case the owners would have found it difficult to stay open for insurance reasons.
 
I guess the Police and Fire Brigade said they could not guarentee the safety of the market. In which case the owners would have found it difficult to stay open for insurance reasons.
If they can't guarantee the safety of a slew of local businesses that are normally open all week long, perhaps they should be asking why they're putting the event on in the first place?
 
If they can't guarantee the safety of a slew of local businesses that are normally open all week long, perhaps they should be asking why they're putting the event on in the first place?

I agree.

It does not make it sound like its going to be chilled out event. Jaspers comments have not helped imo.
 
Satay Gallery is up on posters for Brixton Splash as one of the main sponsors. I have seen a few at bus stops.

It was just an example, I mean any business staying open.

I'm wondering if I don't ask the police then I have no reason not to open but if I do ask the police and fire brigade for advice and they suggest that they can't confidently say there won't be an issue then there are implication re insurance for instance if something does then happen. Satay bar (for instance) has been here years and has a lot of experience of brixton splash. Inshops hasn't. Still think it's bollocks that BV is shutting, like.
 
Last year, the Splash day was our best Sunday of the year.

The fact that it kicked off afterwards had nothing to do with Splash - it was kicking off all over London.
The decision was taken by the local and clueless Inshops manager, afaict, who is never seen in the area outside mon-fri 9-5 and has consistently fought against extended opening.

But I would like to know if Jasper had any input into this.
 
Last year, the Splash day was our best Sunday of the year.

The fact that it kicked off afterwards had nothing to do with Splash - it was kicking off all over London.
The decision was taken by the local and clueless Inshops manager, afaict, who is never seen in the area outside mon-fri 9-5 and has consistently fought against extended opening.

But I would like to know if Jasper had any input into this.

This is the thing. It started well after Splash had ended and the Village had closed. I left The Albert about 10.30pm and half an hour later the police came and put it on lockdown as it was starting to kick off. The only reason I realised anything was happening was cos I got woken up by the police helicopter about 2.30 in the morning and I could smell burning from Foot Locker, and I live right in the centre.

It just seems like an absolutely ridiculous measure to shut down the Village for the day, and frankly, how on earth can Splash ever hope to get sponsorship from people when it's an entirely one way street?
 
Last year, the Splash day was our best Sunday of the year.

The fact that it kicked off afterwards had nothing to do with Splash - it was kicking off all over London.
The decision was taken by the local and clueless Inshops manager, afaict, who is never seen in the area outside mon-fri 9-5 and has consistently fought against extended opening.

But I would like to know if Jasper had any input into this.

Agreed.

Can't you ask the manager? Also can't you appeal to his managers?
 
Much as Mr Jasper has not handled things well I doubt he alone would have pushed such a thing through.

Agree that the reason to close sounds silly. Would not be surprised that a manager might consult with police/fire/organiser on safety though.
 
The fact that it kicked off afterwards had nothing to do with Splash
More to do with the fact the police didn't let kids from Moorlands area get through to Splash, then kettled them for hours.


eta
This is what I was told the day after by other Estate residents, although I did see kids not being allowed through to attend Splash.
 
quimcunx said:
Sounds like the manager didn't want the extra managing it might engender.

Possibly. Insurance just as likely though. I have organised some big events. Health & safety, security and insurance are a royal pain.
 
Possibly. Insurance just as likely though. I have organised some big events. Health & safety, security and insurance are a royal pain.

Other businesses either didn't ask or dismissed or were given different advice. Maybe he looked for a way out. Maybe the police thought BV more at risk if things did kick off on account of being a symbol of gentrification etc.

We just don't know! Still everyone likes a bit of speculation.
 
I'm kinda playing Devils Advocate here, but there's the teensiest possibility, that this has been done deliberately because if I remember, LJ said that none of BV shops had contributed. If so, how easy would it be for one of the Directors of Splash to say to the police and fire brigade "Remember it all kicked off last year, you might want to make sure those shops are closed". They then do that, forcing businesses to giving "donating" to Splash a little more priority in future.

Like I say, this is idle speculation, but from what I read of the man, he does seem type to do a "well fuck you, see how you like this" to people.

I guess we will only know if we find out the timings of when the police were informed - before or after the businesses decided not to donate.
 
Mind you, re. parliamentary ambition, as rumours go it's one of those ones that it'll be surprising if untrue as it's exactly the sort of thing you can imagine him doing.
 
Well that makes it unlikely. He won't stand against Chuka.

He might not have to. There's a proposed new Brixton constituency in boundary changes which mostly takes up Jowell's seat, with a bit of his and Hoey's. There are many permutations as to who might stand down/run etc (as his seat is also affected by changes to Tooting - Sadiq Khan's seat). Until it's all sorted no one knows.
 
I wonder if LJ will have the balls to return here to explain or comment ?

I very much doubt it myself, despite the fact he was last logged in here reading the boards on Wednesday.
 
I'd heard similar but with him standing in Manchester. It's his home town, so arguably less bizarre than Galloway in Bradford, and possibly there's a seat up there that looks doable for Respect. Pure gossip you understand, but plausible gossip.
 
Emailed Splash again asking why they're continuing to airbrush the event's founder out of their history.
Be good to know who the chair is, too.
And how they feel involuntary closure of some thirty Brixton businesses fits their community credentials?
 
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