Ros Griffiths & Co. Reclaiming Windrush Square

[Rushy]

Whatever one thinks of Ros the very fact that locals have tried to band together to deal with the problems of the square is an indirect condemnation of Lambeth Council for not maintaining it properly. Or having - as with Brixton Rec- a proper team to maintain the assets it has.

I agree with you that this is down to Lambeth not maintaining the square properly. It is also down to their events policy being fudged so as to try to squeeze cash out of every conceivable space - however inappropriate. If this were the BCA and Brixton Society proposing a program to fix the square accompanied by a modest series of relevant, local and site appropriate events that would be one thing. But the whole international tourist destination schtick reeks of commercial opportunism dressed up as social entrepreneurship. And the same names come up again and again.

 

[editor]

Here's the buzzword soaked blurb from the last refurb of the square in 2008 from the wonderfully named Gross Max.
It cost £6.5m and now needs to be 'reclaimed' already.

Brixton Central Square reflects on the role of civic space at the start of the 21st century as a vibrant stage for a dynamic multi-cultural society. Traditional pillars of society such as church (religion), town hall (politics) and library (knowledge) which are all represented within Brixton Square are no longer the priority of such a civic space. The site was lost in space and time. It needed a new agenda in terms of programme and event, and a new setting for those activities, which provides both spatial coherence and an iconic landmark. The combination of garden and square can be reconciled into a new urban typology, which provides for opposite experiences such as solitude and gathering, enclosure and opening, the introvert and the extrovert: An integrated park and square for both bio- and cultural diversity.

Windrush Square by GROSS.MAX.

GROSS. MAX.: Brixton Central Square is formed by combining three separate public spaces: Tate Gardens, Windrush Square and St Mathews Peace Garden. The spaces are loosely defined by a series of civic buildings, including the town hall, St Mathews Church, Raleigh Hall and the Tate Library...

landezine.com

 

[TopCat]

Here's the buzzword soaked blurb from the last refurb of the square in 2008 from the wonderfully named Gross Max.
It cost £6.5m and now needs to be 'reclaimed' already.

Windrush Square by GROSS.MAX.

GROSS. MAX.: Brixton Central Square is formed by combining three separate public spaces: Tate Gardens, Windrush Square and St Mathews Peace Garden. The spaces are loosely defined by a series of civic buildings, including the town hall, St Mathews Church, Raleigh Hall and the Tate Library...

landezine.com

I feel horrible emotions regarding the writer of that piece.

 

[nick]

compare and contrast the CGI in that 2011 article from gross.max. (sic. ) and the present day reality.

In particular those horrible single occupancy isolationist seats that are real but not in the CGI.

 

[Gramsci]

Brixton Splash to Brixton Wave: a tale of ego, incompetence and a misguided Lambeth Council

And so farewell Brixton Wave. You promised plenty of Nu Brixton bluff, then went AWOL before bailing out with only days to spare.

www.brixtonbuzz.com

The name Ros Griffiths reminded me of this about her involvement in the replacement to the popular Brixton Splash.

Brixton Wave came to nothing.

If I was the Council I'd think twice about handing out Ros a big wad of grant money.

Jason's article is worth re reading.

Brixton isn't always well served by self appointed community leaders.

 

[David Clapson]

I go to the square for a sit nearly every day.
The square functions pretty well as a skate park in the daytime, with large numbers of people sitting on the turd-shaped "sculpture" and the seats and on the library steps, just enjoying being outside. At night it's usually very quiet and peaceful. It would be wrong if the square's users are displaced by commercial interests. Locals need outdoor spaces. Some of them are addicts or mentally ill, but that's a reflection of Brixton's social problems.

The ASB is mainly in Rushcroft Rd. The doorstep of Norfolk House has been taken over by crack smokers and dealers. Sometimes three or four other doorways in the road are occupied by drug users. The cinema fire exits are very busy as toilets. If the square is repurposed, Rushcroft Rd will get worse. And it wouldn't help the crack problem. I've never seen any outreach services for addicts in the square. Very occasionally the police turn up and do some searches.

Dealers and users no longer stand in front of the black cultural archives because lights as bright as the sun were installed a few months ago. Lots of women walk that way in the dark. I haven't seen any being hassled for a long time.

The grass between the archives and Effra Rd has been ploughed up. Anyone know why?

 

[madolesance]

I go to the square for a sit nearly every day.
The square functions pretty well as a skate park in the daytime, with large numbers of people sitting on the turd-shaped "sculpture" and the seats and on the library steps, just enjoying being outside. At night it's usually very quiet and peaceful. It would be wrong if the square's users are displaced by commercial interests. Locals need outdoor spaces. Some of them are addicts or mentally ill, but that's a reflection of Brixton's social problems.

The ASB is mainly in Rushcroft Rd. The doorstep of Norfolk House has been taken over by crack smokers and dealers. Sometimes three or four other doorways in the road are occupied by drug users. The cinema fire exits are very busy as toilets. If the square is repurposed, Rushcroft Rd will get worse. And it wouldn't help the crack problem. I've never seen any outreach services for addicts in the square. Very occasionally the police turn up and do some searches.

Dealers and users no longer stand in front of the black cultural archives because lights as bright as the sun were installed a few months ago. Lots of women walk that way in the dark. I haven't seen any being hassled for a long time.

The grass between the archives and Effra Rd has been ploughed up. Anyone know why?

The grass is being replaced.

 

[David Clapson]

.

 

[Rushy]

Brixton Splash to Brixton Wave: a tale of ego, incompetence and a misguided Lambeth Council

And so farewell Brixton Wave. You promised plenty of Nu Brixton bluff, then went AWOL before bailing out with only days to spare.

www.brixtonbuzz.com

The name Ros Griffiths reminded me of this about her involvement in the replacement to the popular Brixton Splash.

Brixton Wave came to nothing.

If I was the Council I'd think twice about handing out Ros a big wad of grant money.

Jason's article is worth re reading.

Brixton isn't always well served by self appointed community leaders.

To quote Jason Cobb,

"the whole Wave ‘destination’ bollocks started to do our nut in. Brixton is not a ‘destination’ – it is where an established community already lives."

This is such a simple point. I can't think of a single functioning community which has been turned into a mass party destination and at the same time retained its genuine character and been turned into a better place for the people who live and work there.

Brixton needs to be reclaimed from self appointed community leaders like Griffiths. But Lambeth council sadly seems to relate to them better than it relates to the rest of us.

 

[TopCat]

Brixton needs to be reclaimed from self appointed community leaders like Griffiths. But Lambeth council sadly seems to relate to them better than it relates to the rest of us.

Ros will do what she is told in exchange for some council tax payers cash. Hence a reliable partner.

 

[Pickman's model]

Ros will do what she is told in exchange for some council tax payers cash. Hence a reliable partner.

what, when she's bought she stays bought?

 

[CH1]

To quote Jason Cobb,

"the whole Wave ‘destination’ bollocks started to do our nut in. Brixton is not a ‘destination’ – it is where an established community already lives."

This is such a simple point. I can't think of a single functioning community which has been turned into a mass party destination and at the same time retained its genuine character and been turned into a better place for the people who live and work there.

Brixton needs to be reclaimed from self appointed community leaders like Griffiths. But Lambeth council sadly seems to relate to them better than it relates to the rest of us.

This slightly reminds me of when a meeting was held to find a way forward for the Black Cultural Archives when they were chucked out of 378 Coldharbour Lane. The meeting was held at 336 Brixton Road and there were maybe 100 people there, including trustees and Sam Walker who used to run the archive at 378 Coldharbour Lane.

At some point up popped our very own Linda Bellos - ex-leader of Lambeth Council, but by then a community consultant of some kind in Hackney. She was outraged that people had not been leafletted, not only in Brixton but in Thornton Heath and Croydon. Those people had a stake in Brixton and they should decide on the fate of THEIR archive etc etc.

Similar to Ros - but I think Ros no doubt means a tourist destination and "profit centre".

 

[Rushy]

This slightly reminds me of when a meeting was held to find a way forward for the Black Cultural Archives when they were chucked out of 378 Coldharbour Lane. The meeting was held at 336 Brixton Road and there were maybe 100 people there, including trustees and Sam Walker who used to run the archive at 378 Coldharbour Lane.

At some point up popped our very own Linda Bellos - ex-leader of Lambeth Council, but by then a community consultant of some kind in Hackney. She was outraged that people had not been leafletted, not only in Brixton but in Thornton Heath and Croydon. Those people had a stake in Brixton and they should decide on the fate of THEIR archive etc etc.

Similar to Ros - but I think Ros no doubt means a tourist destination and "profit centre".

I remember something like that though I don't think I ever went to a meeting at 336.

I also recall a friends group "brainstorm" session of what to do with Raleigh Hall and coming away wondering why they had held it as it became abundantly clear at the session that it had already been decided that it was to become BCA.

It sounds like Friends of Windrush Square is being hived off to be run by Ros Griffiths so that she can make out that her and Lambeth's plans represent public demand. The smoke and mirrors employed by these tedious technocrats is very demoralising. But I guess that's a key element in how they operate.

 

[CH1]

It sounds like Friends of Windrush Square is being hived off to be run by Ros Griffiths so that she can make out that her and Lambeth's plans represent public demand. The smoke and mirrors employed by these tedious technocrats is very demoralising. But I guess that's a key element in how they operate.

Not sure how I feel about that. As it was FoW managed to provide a year of LCF-funded Tai Chi classes largely on Zoom (because of Covid - originally to be held in the square or a room in the library every Saturday morning). Amazed me
a} that a charity supporting "poor people in marginalised areas" would pay thousands for promoting a fringe Chinese exercise cult
b) that (last time I heard) the Tate Brixton Library had declined to refund the Brixton Society ("hosting" FoW for the last 20 years) for the unused room hire for this (which had been paid in advance).

Edited - to include LCF funded for clarification

 

[thebackrow]

Brixton Splash to Brixton Wave: a tale of ego, incompetence and a misguided Lambeth Council

And so farewell Brixton Wave. You promised plenty of Nu Brixton bluff, then went AWOL before bailing out with only days to spare.

www.brixtonbuzz.com

The name Ros Griffiths reminded me of this about her involvement in the replacement to the popular Brixton Splash.

Brixton Wave came to nothing.

If I was the Council I'd think twice about handing out Ros a big wad of grant money.

Jason's article is worth re reading.

Brixton isn't always well served by self appointed community leaders.

"Brixton Buzz is investigating how much money Lambeth spunked in the way of Wave."

Did anything ever come of this? And did the City Splash Festival 2022 Tickets | Brockwell Park, London have anything in common other than the name?

 

[editor]

"Brixton Buzz is investigating how much money Lambeth spunked in the way of Wave."

Did anything ever come of this? And did the City Splash Festival 2022 Tickets | Brockwell Park, London have anything in common other than the name?

Totally unrelated although perhaps trying to cash in on the name a bit.

 

[cuppa tee]

Totally unrelated although perhaps trying to cash in on the name a bit.

....think ‘splash’is used generically for reggae festivals, following on from the original sunsplash, there’s also a japansplash and sea splash for example.

 

[Rushy]

Front page of Brixton Bugle acting as a mouthpiece for Ros Griffiths again.

“Ros Griffiths, Chair of The Friends of Windrush Square, said “We want Windrush Square to be up there with Trafalgar Square, Parliament Square and Leicester Square. We want Windrush Square to be the Trafalgar Square of South London”.

Why these examples? Does any one of those three tourist attractions actually belong to or serve their immediate local community?

And who is “We” anyway? "We" seems to be Friends of Windrush Square. And Friends of Windrush Square seems to be Ros.

Friends of Windrush Square was a defunct offshoot of The Brixton Society which the society was in the process of dissolving. Ros has effectively taken over the group and hived it off from The Brixton Society. In the last article she claimed to be developing her plans to transform Windrush Square in partnership with The Brixton Society. But an individual at The Brixton Society denies that there is any alliance or formal link and referred to the article as a distorted vision. I'm told that Ros' international tourist destination ambitions have nothing to do with them.

Did Ros get her £200,000 grant form the council. And what has it been spent on?

The Bugle also refers to The Friends of Windrush Square “fast becoming a go-to organisation for issues affecting not only the square, but also nearby areas of Central Brixton”. Really? According to who? What has it actually done and to whom is it answerable?

It would be great to understand why The Bugle unquestioningly trumpets whatever Ros says. From where I am sitting it looks like the self described "entrepreneur" is on a power and land grab and The Bugle are blindly backing her.

 

[TopCat]

The sheer brass neck continues to amaze.

 

[editor]

Front page of Brixton Bugle acting as a mouthpiece for Ros Griffiths again.

“Ros Griffiths, Chair of The Friends of Windrush Square, said “We want Windrush Square to be up there with Trafalgar Square, Parliament Square and Leicester Square. We want Windrush Square to be the Trafalgar Square of South London”.

Who the fuck does she think she is speaking for?
There's a reason why Trafalgar Square, Parliament Square and Leicester Square are hugely popular and that's because they're big, historical, well known spaces, slap bang in the centre of London and surrounded by theatres, shops, restaurants and more.

Windrush Square hasn't even got public toilets, or anything of interest since they swept everything away in the last refurb. Oh, apart from a nice tree. That'll bring the tourists in.

 

[editor]

Front page of Brixton Bugle acting as a mouthpiece for Ros Griffiths again.

“Ros Griffiths, Chair of The Friends of Windrush Square, said “We want Windrush Square to be up there with Trafalgar Square, Parliament Square and Leicester Square. We want Windrush Square to be the Trafalgar Square of South London”.

Why these examples? Does any one of those three tourist attractions actually belong to or serve their immediate local community?

And who is “We” anyway? "We" seems to be Friends of Windrush Square. And Friends of Windrush Square seems to be Ros.

Friends of Windrush Square was a defunct offshoot of The Brixton Society which the society was in the process of dissolving. Ros has effectively taken over the group and hived it off from The Brixton Society. In the last article she claimed to be developing her plans to transform Windrush Square in partnership with The Brixton Society. But an individual at The Brixton Society denies that there is any alliance or formal link and referred to the article as a distorted vision. I'm told that Ros' international tourist destination ambitions have nothing to do with them.

Did Ros get her £200,000 grant form the council. And what has it been spent on?

The Bugle also refers to The Friends of Windrush Square “fast becoming a go-to organisation for issues affecting not only the square, but also nearby areas of Central Brixton”. Really? According to who? What has it actually done and to whom is it answerable?

It would be great to understand why The Bugle unquestioningly trumpets whatever Ros says. From where I am sitting it looks like the self described "entrepreneur" is on a power and land grab and The Bugle are blindly backing her.

Could you scan/take a pic of the paper please as I haven't found the paper?

I might be sufficiently angered to do a counter piece on Buzz (or if anyone else fancies writing it, that would be even better!)

 

[CH1]

Here you go - a bit smudgy I'm afraid

 

[CH1]

Could you scan/take a pic of the paper please as I haven't found the paper?

I might be sufficiently angered to do a counter piece on Buzz (or if anyone else fancies writing it, that would be even better!)

There's probably stacks of these in Brixton Rec inside the turnstiles on the left.
The points made seem pretty much what people have said since Windrush Square was invented - apart from the dead toilet question which dates back 10 further years to 1986.
For me the Ros issue is more that the bombast tends to lead to no result.

 

[DaphneM]

There's probably stacks of these in Brixton Rec inside the turnstiles on the left.
The points made seem pretty much what people have said since Windrush Square was invented - apart from the dead toilet question which dates back 10 further years to 1986.
For me the Ros issue is more that the bombast tends to lead to no result.

At least it’s focusing attention on the issue

 

[Gramsci]

I wonder who the local architects are who will help re design the space?

As CH1 says the problems of Windrush square arent new.

It was a project led by Jo Negrini when she was Brixton Town Centre Manager. The now ex Chief Executive of Croydon

Another problem in local authorities is the tendency to laud certain types of people who get leading posts in the bureaucrcy.

Negrini is an example. Had a reputation for getting things done and so keeping her local politicians happy

It was "success" of projects like this that she got to be Chief exc of Croydon

£400,000 ‘golden handshake’ is Negrini’s reward for failure

EXCLUSIVE: Croydon’s political leadership to come under increasing pressure as the full extent of the deal they cut with chief executive is revealed. By STEVEN DOWNES Jo Negrini will receive …

insidecroydon.com

 

[Gramsci]

It says something about the original design that new architects are needed to redesign it.

 

[SpookyFrank]

'social entrepreneur'

It's actually spelled 'grifter'.

 

[Gramsci]

trying to find which architects are re imagining the square and cannot find any.

Did find this review of the square.

I note it has photo of the lights that went around the steps of the square at night. Making it more friendly looking space in the evenings.

Must be old photo as I don't remember the lights working for a long time.

One thing the Council could do is to properly maintain the square as it is now.

Windrush Square, Brixton, London | Behind the Image | UDG

 

[Rushy]

Windrush Square hasn't even got public toilets, or anything of interest since they swept everything away in the last refurb. Oh, apart from a nice tree. That'll bring the tourists in.

I still get the impression that her position goes along the lines of "There are no toilets, the fountain is not working and people are worried about antisocial behaviour. As an entrepreneur I will fix that by turning Windrush Square into a major international tourist attraction."

Interestingly she has previously said that she has teamed up with the Black Cultural Archives on this vision of international stardom for the square; but is attacking the installation of security bollards. Is BCA really against the bollards? [I'd understood that BCA were pretty much the target].

 

[thebackrow]

I still get the impression that her position goes along the lines of "There are no toilets, the fountain is not working and people are worried about antisocial behaviour. As an entrepreneur I will fix that by turning Windrush Square into a major international tourist attraction."

Interestingly she has previously said that she has teamed up with the Black Cultural Archives on this vision of international stardom for the square; but is attacking the installation of security bollards. Is BCA really against the bollards? [I'd understood that BCA were pretty much the target].

The bollards are ugly, and they cost a lot of money, but Lambeth were presumably advised there was a terror risk. If they'd ignored that advice and there had been an attack they'd the press and public would have said they were negligent.