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

I've just been interviewed for ITV News. It'll be on the 6 o'clock news. I really don't like doing TV (especially when I'm sporting a curious stitch on my hooter!) but A&C asked me to do it, and I'm happy to support them.

The angle they seemed keen to pursue was "is this the end of Brixton's vibe?" I won't be watching but please be kind - I did the best I could!
 
I just had a long chat with Jose at A&C and several other people came in while we were talking with ideas and to offer support. A local barrister is going to look over the lease for them to see where they stand. Jo is speaking to all of the tenants with a view to getting a meeting sorted out. There is apparently more than a grand on offer, but certainly not enough to compensate for a year or more of lost business. Apparently Netwotk Rail have not yet got planning permission for the redevelopment so there's scope there for objections, I would have thought.
 
Ms T said:
I just had a long chat with Jose at A&C and several other people came in while we were talking with ideas and to offer support. A local barrister is going to look over the lease for them to see where they stand. Jo is speaking to all of the tenants with a view to getting a meeting sorted out. There is apparently more than a grand on offer, but certainly not enough to compensate for a year or more of lost business. Apparently Netwotk Rail have not yet got planning permission for the redevelopment so there's scope there for objections, I would have thought.
Click to expand...
Having to vacate their premises for a year - possibly two - and then face rents that I imagine will be considerably higher than what they're currently paying is effectively going to kill some of those businesses stone dead. Network Rail aren't offering any alternative premises either.
 
I was just chatting to the guy selling mobile phone accessories in one of those arch segments. He had no idea this was happening. He's been here for over ten years.
 
There might be a workable solution. The old Pope's Road car park site is essentially vacant for the next couple of years, with a fairly pointless shipping container-based pop-up now being installed. This could be adapted to accommodate the traders during the two-year refurb of the arches (with their rents covering the cost), after which they could return on a first-refusal basis. Not ideal for them , but they stay local, together, and in business.
 
haar said:
There might be a workable solution. The old Pope's Road car park site is essentially vacant for the next couple of years, with a fairly pointless shipping container-based pop-up now being installed. This could be adapted to accommodate the traders during the two-year refurb of the arches (with their rents covering the cost), after which they could return on a first-refusal basis. Not ideal for them , but they stay local, together, and in business.
Click to expand...

Good minds! A letter has just gone from our chair to Lib Peck, Jack Hopkins, and the Future Brixton team suggesting this:

http://brixtonpound.org/2015/the-future-of-local-businesses-in-brixton/

Dear All,

I am extremely disturbed to hear about the notice being served by Network Rail to the tenants on Atlantic Road and Station Road. Yesterday I had a long conversation with the owners of A&C who are devastated by this announcement and the uncertainty it brings to them and 25 other families involved.

I do not want to believe that the manner in which this is being implemented and the lack of intention in protecting the future of these longstanding Brixton businesses is an acceptable outcome of regeneration for you or anyone responsible for this development programme, however it is becoming increasingly difficult to feel that protecting the essential essence of Brixton has ever been a serious priority. This makes a complete nonsense of the Future Brixton community consultation process, and I deeply resent the time, energy and commitment taken by myself and many other citizens to protect community interest in the Central Brixton Master Development Plan.

This is not regeneration it is violation and it is taking place at the heart of our community; to the very people that have built and shaped it over many years. As you know I am an advocate of positive change and I am not naive about the commercial considerations needed to make a balanced and viable community. People- their passion, commitment and hard work at a local level, breathe real sustainable life into this community; you cannot replace that with mono-cultural retail and leisure development and expect a culturally rich, diverse and inclusive community to survive and flourish. This is not positive it is destructive; who and what are these longstanding, much loved businesses making way for?

On perhaps a more productive note you could consider re-housing those displaced businesses on the POP site at affordable rents? Any vague whiff of integrity the Future Brixton plan may once have held is now seriously dead in the water. This is extremely damaging and someone needs to take some responsibility for ensuring that livelihoods are not unduly affected in the long term. I, and no doubt many others look forward to hearing from you very soon in a public arena.

Regards
 
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gah... toddler needed to poo so only caught the last minute or so of the ITV news report... is there catch up, or will it be on again later? anyone know?
 
Thought ITV News did a decent job there. I notice Network Rail wimped out of an interview and just issued a pretty crap statement. Cowardly.
 
tompound said:
Good minds! A letter has just gone from our chair to Lib Peck, Jack Hopkins, and the Future Brixton team suggesting this:

http://brixtonpound.org/2015/the-future-of-local-businesses-in-brixton/

Dear All,

I am extremely disturbed to hear about the notice being served by Network Rail to the tenants on Atlantic Road and Station Road. Yesterday I had a long conversation with the owners of A&C who are devastated by this announcement and the uncertainty it brings to them and 25 other families involved.

I do not want to believe that the manner in which this is being implemented and the lack of intention in protecting the future of these longstanding Brixton businesses is an acceptable outcome of regeneration for you or anyone responsible for this development programme, however it is becoming increasingly difficult to feel that protecting the essential essence of Brixton has ever been a serious priority. This makes a complete nonsense of the Future Brixton community consultation process, and I deeply resent the time, energy and commitment taken by myself and many other citizens to protect community interest in the Central Brixton Master Development Plan.

This is not regeneration it is violation and it is taking place at the heart of our community; to the very people that have built and shaped it over many years. As you know I am an advocate of positive change and I am not naive about the commercial considerations needed to make a balanced and viable community. People- their passion, commitment and hard work at a local level, breathe real sustainable life into this community; you cannot replace that with mono-cultural retail and leisure development and expect a culturally rich, diverse and inclusive community to survive and flourish. This is not positive it is destructive; who and what are these longstanding, much loved businesses making way for?

On perhaps a more productive note you could consider re-housing those displaced businesses on the POP site at affordable rents? Any vague whiff of integrity the Future Brixton plan may once have held is now seriously dead in the water. This is extremely damaging and someone needs to take some responsibility for ensuring that livelihoods are not unduly affected in the long term. I, and no doubt many others look forward to hearing from you very soon in a public arena.

Regards
Click to expand...
Great letter Tom.
 
I popped into A&C tonight, very telling that the first person they thought of speaking to when they found out about this was the Editor. Shows how important Urban75 is to the local community.

Brixton was hot on ITV news tonight with the bus strike and the railway arches
 
Crispy said:
Ditto. Rode past it on my way home and thought I'd had a clever idea. Came rushing to the thread...
Click to expand...

If logistically possible, it would keep the stores going (with relocation assistance from NRail) until they can return (on similar rental terms from NR).
 
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