Out with the Old... Network Rail tell businesses to vacate Atlantic Road arches

[Mr Retro]

Traders deliver a Valentine's day package of goods to the CEO of NR...

I think that's a really good idea, it's subtle and friendly but by showing off all the goods that will be missed if the arches close, it makes a great point. East photo op for the newspapers too

 

[SpamMisery]

The above shows you've only a very vague grasp of what empathy means. I suspect you meant "sympathy",but thought that "empathy" sounded better.

Nope. It's definitely empathy

 

[rich!]

Had a look at Network Rail's website. They're governed by an agreement with DoT. Annex B sets out when they need to consult DoT on property proposals - one of these is proposals being contentious (see B19). Which they are. Wonder if it's worth adding DoT to the petition or otherwise involving them? (And local MPs who may be able to push this angle?).

Perhaps also a press release from the traders to go around major media outlets?

NR have an ethics framework which commits them to the principles of "Honesty, Integrity, Accountability, Openness, Selflessness, Objectivity & Leadership". This should apply to how they manage this process - in an open and objective way - by sharing info with the businesses and local community in a timely manner and consulting / understanding the impact of their decisions beyond internal commercial considerations.

Ethics frameworks are fun. For example, the Institute of Procurement Professionals ethics require not abusing your buyer position to exploit sellers. May be worth checking the LinkedIn profile of everyone known to be related to this from Network Rail to see if their actions are in line with the ethics of the bodies they are members of.....

 

[Dulwich Raider]

Still knocked for six by the audacity of Network Rail's plans for Brixton and Herne Hill.

I wrote a piece for Deserter about it:

Brixton Arches Shame
http://deserter.co.uk/2015/02/brixton-arches-shame/

Petition link in the piece.

TDR

 

[pgtips]

View attachment 67534

Been admiring some great local graffiti recently. Might there be somewhere appropriate for a more sizeable version of this fantastic campaign poster?

 

[Gramsci]

I think the point was more "how long does a business need to be around before being considered a longstanding business?". Which is a valid question to ask.

No it was not.

The North African cafes on Brixton Station Road are recent compared to the deli and fishmongers. They provide affordable food. I know some of them and its interesting to get to know other cultures.I welcome new people to Brixton.

What I do not want is shops like Omni. As one of the market traders said in SLP I do not want to see this corner of Brixton ending up as "yuppieland".

 

[editor]

I think the point was more "how long does a business need to be around before being considered a longstanding business?". Which is a valid question to ask.

Omnis has been here less than 8 weeks so I don't see much of a valid point being made by mentioning them.

 

[DietCokeGirl]

Been admiring some great local graffiti recently. Might there be somewhere appropriate for a more sizeable version of this fantastic campaign poster?

If only we could cover up the B Our Guest with the poster artwork....

 

[Gramsci]

Still knocked for six by the audacity of Network Rail's plans for Brixton and Herne Hill.

I wrote a piece for Deserter about it:

Brixton Arches Shame
http://deserter.co.uk/2015/02/brixton-arches-shame/

Petition link in the piece.

TDR

This is an excellent piece.

A businessman I know also said that NR were letting new leases at much higher rate than before.

Worth quoting this:

But, as ever, it’s in the detail where things get murky. Not only will the businesses affected have to contend with the costs of being out of business (or relocating) for up to two years, there is no guarantee that they will be allowed to return once work is completed and, if they are, it will be at vastly inflated rents.

What evidence is there for this? Well, in Herne Hill, Network Rail have already refurbished arches on Milkwood Road. Two of the Herne Hill businesses affected by the proposed eviction notices, Walters the butchers and Dickson’s the off-licence, currently pay £9k and £15k per annum for their leases, respectively. The newly re-furbished arches on Milkwood Road, however, go for between £30k and £40k, between two and four times as much.

And this:

A petition calling for a proper consultation has, in a matter of days, received more than 15,000 signatures and some traders are already reporting a more conciliatory approach being taken by Network Rail. But going in hard and then giving way a little is a classic negotiation tactic to end up with what you wanted in the first place.

 

[SpamMisery]

No it was not.

Er.... it was my point, and yes it was.

I was pointing out the fact Omnis is not the "right kind of shop" to some people as evidenced in the posts bemoaning it's existence; and that editor was saying he didn't want long term Brixton shops to close. A fair point. But my point was, how long would it take Omnis to be elevated to this position and therefore recieve the same level of support if faced with eviction.

 

[Gramsci]

Brixton Blog reports that Cllr Jack Hopkins ( Cabinet member for jobs and growth) has posted up a statement on "Future Brixton".

According to Jack its all his efforts that have got NR to back off a bit ( for now). No mention from Jack about Brixton Buzz / U75 being the first to bring this to public attention. No mention by Jack of the huge amount of people who signed the petition.

No its Jack and wonderful Lambeth Council who have got some concessions from NR.

Is Jack going to give NR a good telling off for their lack of "cooperative" behaviour? Network Rail have unilaterally pulled out of "co producing" , to use Council jargon, a masterplan for central Brixton.

NR backing off a bit is due to the shopkeepers standing together and the local community ( and beyond) kicking up a stink about this.

 

[Gramsci]

Er.... it was my point, and yes it was.

I was pointing out the fact Omnis is not the "right kind of shop" to some people as evidenced in the posts bemoaning it's existence; and that editor was saying he didn't want long term Brixton shops to close. A fair point. But my point was, how long would it take Omnis to be elevated to this position and therefore recieve the same level of support if faced with eviction.

You know why Omnis was raised as an issue.

I do not think I have to explain it more. Already had a post criticising Lexadon taken down a while back.

As I said I welcome some new business such as the recent growth of North African affordable unpretentious cafes.

I feel particularly sorry for the Eritreans who run the internet cafe. I really like it there.

 

[SpamMisery]

Sorry, I'm confused; I thought I'd raised Omnis first and for the reason I posted above. Fair enough though, let's leave it there.

 

[editor]

But my point was, how long would it take Omnis to be elevated to this position and therefore recieve the same level of support if faced with eviction.

Are you really suggesting that anyone sensible would define a brand new shop that has just opened as a "long term Brixton business"?

 

[SpamMisery]

I might be wrong but I think you misread my post. I said Omnis is new, how long does it have to open to be granted the status of long term Brixton business?

 

[Winot]

Head:wall

 

[editor]

Let's get back to the infinitely more important issue of the arches please.

 

[Gramsci]

You have had your fun can you go away now.

 

[Gramsci]

Friend had this rather good piece on her FB by Vice online magazine. Interviews with some of the shopkeepers.

This sums it up:

It's really symptomatic of bigger changes, and it could be happening anywhere in London. All these areas that have been ignored for years in terms of investment, but have now become quite trendy, are becoming attractive to big business and that means they're forcing out local businesses.

We were here when Brixton wasn't such a desirable area, but we stuck with it and helped to build it up. But now they're just like, "thank you very much, but get out".

As I said before I would not trust the local Council. They are so desperate for "inward investment" that they will allow this to happen. Its all the publicity and strength of feeling that is making the Council do something. Otherwise Cllr Hopkins and the rest would being saying it was good for Brixton.

 

[Laurence]

There must be a legal way..at least to ask for formal discussion. Rights to information, consultation and participation to decision making must apply here. The case needs to be explored from a legal stand to check these points first, ad then to find out more about property/use/rent provisions of the owners/renters of the shops.happy to help getting more info on it. L

 

[leanderman]

I might be wrong but I think you misread my post. I said Omnis is new, how long does it have to open to be granted the status of long term Brixton business?

Yep. It's a fair question which, predictably, won't be answered.

Even though the business itself, Omnis, is a complete parody.

 

[soupdragon]

Yep. It's a fair question which, predictably, won't be answered.

Even though the business itself, Omnis, is a complete parody.

Yeah but look this is just another stating of the question “how long have you lived here” that people in Brixton ask to suss out whether they think you get the culture of the place, and it's in many ways a proxy for class, or at least for where you political allegiances might lie. Because people don't ask about class or politics so directly etc, they end up talking in terms of how long people – or shops – have been there. Inevitably it doesn’t work so well in all instances, but it’s a good way for people to start to sniff out the gentrifiers. People who question that in some kind of "well, this is awfully inconsistent, where’s the empirical evidence blah blah" kind of way are already falling foul of it.

And so are people who single out shops as ‘creepy’ just because they don’t use them themselves. The point is that it comes down to people wanting Brixton to serve a very mixed, partly poor community. You can see this all as being a bit of a vague fugg that needs some fresh air opened up on it, but hey, that’s culture. It’s part of what people are trying to defend.

 

[Ms T]

What is Omnis?

 

[Mr Retro]

What is Omnis?

It's an ironic version of The Grot Shop on Coldharbour Lane that has no stock

 

[editor]

It's an ironic version of The Grot Shop on Coldharbour Lane that has no stock

It's a "lifestyle shop" apparently.
https://twitter.com/omnisbrixton

 

[Ms T]

#nonethewiser

 

[Winot]

#nonethewiser

Apparently it's run by Jerry "Lexadon" Knight's daughter. The working assumption is that it is financed by him.

 

[Gramsci]

Yep. It's a fair question which, predictably, won't be answered.

Even though the business itself, Omnis, is a complete parody.

I did say I welcome some new business in post 432.

As you correctly say Omni is a complete parody. Not a good example to raise.

 

[Ms T]

I realised recently that I bought my first flat from Jerry Knight! In Kellett Rd in 1995. A few years later he offered us the freehold for a very reasonable price.

 

[Tinich]

Ethics frameworks are fun. For example, the Institute of Procurement Professionals ethics require not abusing your buyer position to exploit sellers. May be worth checking the LinkedIn profile of everyone known to be related to this from Network Rail to see if their actions are in line with the ethics of the bodies they are members of.....

Yes of course frameworks don't hold people to account by just being there - what I mean is that this can be used as part of an argument with them - as a public corporation, they would need to respond to that / justify actions against it.