editor
hiraethified
Network Rail and Lambeth come over like the fucking bastards they are. They're destroying long term independent businesses for short term profit. They don't give a fuck about the character of Brixton. Good article.
Out with the Old... Network Rail tell businesses to vacate Atlantic Road arches
- Thread starter :-D
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editor
hiraethified
Yes, I got the message. You don't care. Nice.
Carpet man
Active Member
Last year they clearly wanted to get rid of all of us but after 20,000 online signatures they revised their statement saying they wanted to maintain the diversity of Brixton ( NR don't give a shit about that lets me honest ! ) so the new rents quoted upon return double the existing and then creep up to over three times the present !
Baron
Active Member
Thanks to the couple of readers that have stood up to my shop from all at "The Baron". We are a family business and we have been in Brixton for
over 44 years now and have a strong following of loyal customers. We had 4 shops in Brixton at one time and employed over 30 members of staff, giving time and money to local communities and charities and hold a strong membership in the Brixton Rotary club. There are shops that sit in every local high street that we all look at and think "why are they there?", but they must be there for a reason.
Before you criticize others think what impact that shop gives to others and not just what it does for you! If you feel you wont miss us when Network Rail triple our rents, then guess what.... "we won't miss you either".
Local shops hold local communities together. I wonder how much time and money the pawn brokers give back to Brixton needy???
over 44 years now and have a strong following of loyal customers. We had 4 shops in Brixton at one time and employed over 30 members of staff, giving time and money to local communities and charities and hold a strong membership in the Brixton Rotary club. There are shops that sit in every local high street that we all look at and think "why are they there?", but they must be there for a reason.
Before you criticize others think what impact that shop gives to others and not just what it does for you! If you feel you wont miss us when Network Rail triple our rents, then guess what.... "we won't miss you either".
Local shops hold local communities together. I wonder how much time and money the pawn brokers give back to Brixton needy???
bimble
floofy
Hello Baron, great that you're here .
A question: What does it mean when you said "we have to say that we are coming back for legal reasons"? Can you explain if that's something that NR have made you say or what does it mean?
editor
hiraethified
Well said. Some people can't see past their own self interest and can only judge something's value by what they get out of it, and not what it means to the wider community.
Baron
Active Member
We are looking at a massive legal battle ahead of us. There are many facts regarding our eviction that the general public do not know. Network rail are making things very difficult for us. Yes they have offered us some compensation but believe me the amount of money they have offered is ridiculous for any working business. What many people also don't know is that when we leave the shop We come back to completely empty shell. We have to then pay to have our shops put back together. Completely new shop fit will be needed. Anybody that has ever done that knows how much it costs. That little bit of money that Network Rail offering us doesn't even cover half that.
Baron
Active Member
Before we even leave we lose money. You also have to ask why is network rail telling us to keep all financial dealings Private? What is there to hide? This is nothing to do with the regeneration of Brixton. This is all to do with increased rents and more revenue for network rail and Lambeth Council.
editor
hiraethified
If you fancy writing down your thoughts about this, I'd love to publish it on Brixton Buzz.
editor
hiraethified
Sure! I can pop around most days...
happyshopper
Well-Known Member
Probably one of the worst effects will be the loss of the micro arches; making it much harder for local people without much capital to set up in business for themselves. I mean the variety of shops in the tiny spaces squeezed in either side of many of the arches.
If people want to see an example of what it will look like there's Voltaire Road at Clapham North. Tidy but soulless.
If people want to see an example of what it will look like there's Voltaire Road at Clapham North. Tidy but soulless.
SpamMisery
Pretty comfortable here right under your skin
To each their own I guess; I like that bit of Clapham North. Although I do agree it is likely to make it harder for small badly funded businesses
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Its the last bit of Brixton I feel at home in.
It provides affordable places for people to go. Its also shows how the multicultural diversity, that makes Brixton what it is, works.
The only bits not affected are the shops/ cafes under the Rec.
Sad some posters here arent bothered.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Some time ago you said you could not have an opinion on all this until you had seen NR plans.
Do you support this planning application?
newbie
undisambiguated
the carpet underneath the chair I'm sitting on came from that carpet shop. I can think on no good reason to wish they somehow vanish.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Ignore it. There are posters here who want "balanced" view but never have supported you and the rest of the shops.
I know lots of local people who do not post here who think its its terrible what is happening to you.
As Tricky Skills FOI and excellent piece for Brixton Buzz shows Lambeth Council have never seriously given you any support.
It should be the job of locally elected Council to support the small business not have cosy chats with big landowners.
The Council see NR as bringing in a lot of inward investment and people like you are not important to them in the long run. The Council also see NR as a partner in the redevelopment of the Brixton Central area and thats another reason for there cosy chats with NR. The Council Regeneration dept officers imo want to see Brixton tarted up and small business like yours out.
The Council chats with NR in reality are facilitating the plans of NR not helping the small business under threat.
Brixton BID are not supporting the shops either. BID is a creature of the Council. Last time I heard BID rep talk about it they said they were talking to NR about different size units.
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SpamMisery
Pretty comfortable here right under your skin
Not read it yet
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
SpamMisery
Pretty comfortable here right under your skin
No you're right. I'll drop everything and read the planning application
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
It will all be over for the existing small business in the arches by the time you’ve come to a position on this issue. You’ve never supported these shopkeepers.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
How Brixton's Railway Arches Have Become A Battleground In London's...
This is a good article.
Also shows its happening across London.
Ive seen it happen to Soho. Recently another shop went as they could not afford to go on with rising rents. An independent chemist.
The affordable places are going to be replaced by chains like Pret as well as expensive eateries and upmarket clothes shops.
London was a place where there was a mixture of "high" and "low". Now that’s going.
This is a good article.
Also shows its happening across London.
Ive seen it happen to Soho. Recently another shop went as they could not afford to go on with rising rents. An independent chemist.
The affordable places are going to be replaced by chains like Pret as well as expensive eateries and upmarket clothes shops.
London was a place where there was a mixture of "high" and "low". Now that’s going.
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Gramsci
Well-Known Member
How Brixton's Railway Arches Have Become A Battleground In London's...
I agree its a class issue. Capitalism pushes aside the little people in the pursuit of profit. Everything is about money.
I agree its a class issue. Capitalism pushes aside the little people in the pursuit of profit. Everything is about money.
Angellic
Well-Known Member
And I rarely go to pubs these days but it is still sad so many have been lost. I'd rather walk past the Canterbury (think I've been in there once) as I meander through Brixton than a bland block of flats.
