Ros Griffiths & Co. Reclaiming Windrush Square

[Rushy]

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.

According to a previous article she feels that the bollards around the perimeter make it difficult for double buggy and wheelchair users to navigate the square. Apparently a survey revealed that what these inconvenienced users hoped might sort things out was for the square to be turned into an international tourist destination and filled with selfie taking tourists.

 

[CH1]

According to a previous article she feels that the bollards around the perimeter make it difficult for double buggy and wheelchair users to navigate the square. Apparently a survey revealed that what these inconvenienced users hoped might sort things out was for the square to be turned into an international tourist destination and filled with selfie taking tourists.

I don't think you and her are going to arrive at a mutually satisfyingly conclusion to this.

For my part I was reminiscing on the good old days.



former chair of the Community/Police Consultative Group for Lambeth and erstwhile member of the Independent Police Complaints Commission, used his middle-aged enthusiasm for planning rules successfully:

1 - to force Lambeth Council to remove the huge electronic display they had put on the Acre Lane side of the Town Hall steps. He also had a crack at them for altering the windows in Room 8 (now long gone). The Town Hall is apparently listed.
2 - in conjunction with the Friends of West Norwood Cemetery, contested Lambeth Council's plans to grass everything over and resell plots (from Wiki):
"Lambeth Council compulsorily purchased the cemetery in 1965, and controversially extinguished past rights and claimed ownership over the existing graves. Lambeth changed some of the character of the grounds through "lawn conversion", removing at least 10,000 monuments (including some of the listed monuments) and restarted new burials, reselling existing plots for re-use. Consistory Court cases fought in the Southwark Diocese in 1995 and 1997 found this to be illegal. It brought about the cessation of new burials and forced the restoration of a handful of the damaged or removed monuments. In addition it required Lambeth to publish an index of cleared and resold plots, so that the descendants of historic owners can identify and request restitution of their family's plot.[5] As a consequence of the courts' findings, Lambeth now operates the cemetery in accordance with a scheme of management under the joint control of all interested parties, that includes Lambeth, the Diocese, the Friends of West Norwood Cemetery and conservation bodies such as Historic England."

Unfortunately Lambeth defeated Nick Long on Windrush Square. He marshalled his conservationist arguments (he had for years been a stalwart of the 20th Century Society).
Lambeth had an ace up their sleeve - the descendants of Sir Henry Tate were unwilling (in writing) to get involved in the Stalingrad Square argument, even though Lady Tate had gifted the land.

Just goes to show if you stick your head under the pillow and hope Lambeth will do a good job you end up with bollards on your lawn!

 

[TopCat]

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.

I saw some of the risk assessments for the Square. A real threat of a hostile vehicle attack by the far right.

 

[thebackrow]

According to a previous article she feels that the bollards around the perimeter make it difficult for double buggy and wheelchair users to navigate the square. Apparently a survey revealed that what these inconvenienced users hoped might sort things out was for the square to be turned into an international tourist destination and filled with selfie taking tourists.

I'm sure they make it more awkward - but the long waits for pedestrian crossing green and short crossing times are far more of an issue (and likely related to the fatality there today).

If she's unhappy with the gaps between the HVM bollards she should take it up with the Police who've specified a max gap of 1200mm.

[Withdrawn] Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM)

www.gov.uk

The minimum clearance on a pavement, and for a cycleway, is supposed to be 1.5m but the HVM guidance overrides that so ends up making things worse for both pedestrians and cyclists everywhere they're installed.

 

[TopCat]

I can’t see the bollards actually impeding anyone.

 

[Gramsci]

Whatever one might think of Ros the obsession with bollards , which is or has happened across central London, it is not the solution to terrorism. I see bollards everywhere now in central London.

 

[TopCat]

Whatever one might think of Ros the obsession with bollards , which is or has happened across central London, it is not the solution to terrorism. I see bollards everywhere now in central London.

The bollards in question will certainly stop a fascist loon driving a van down Effra Road at speed into the square and mullering everyone. This was the risk, the bollards mitigate it.

 

[DaphneM]

Bollards work

[Withdrawn] Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM)

www.gov.uk

 

[CH1]

Bollards work

[Withdrawn] Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM)

www.gov.uk

If you can anticipate every intended target.
As an imnunisation exercise it's less efficient that a vaccine - simply because coverage cannot be more than a sample of the population of vulnerable public spaces.
I don't see the workings of your .gov.uk paper by the way. Are there any examples in there of bollards working? Didn't see that.
Was there ever any analysis of why London Bridge was attacked (claimed by ISIS)? Because it was a bridge? Or because it was busy with pedestrians?

 

[Gramsci]

The last Fascist who committed a terrorist outrage in Brixton area did it in the market. Unless bollards are going to be put everywhere its not going to solve the problem.

 

[Gramsci]

The experts who advised on Bollards? That would be the Met wouldn't it?

If you can anticipate every intended target.
As an imnunisation exercise it's less efficient that a vaccine - simply because coverage cannot be more than a sample of the population of vulnerable public spaces.
I don't see the workings of your .gov.uk paper by the way. Are there any examples in there of bollards working? Didn't see that.
Was there ever any analysis of why London Bridge was attacked (claimed by ISIS)? Because it was a bridge? Or because it was busy with pedestrians?

In actual fact a lot of people who were murdered by the terrorists once they left the vehicle. Borough High Street at that end is full of pubs etc. So a lot of people around.

On foot armed with knives would not be stopped by bollards.

Despite heroic efforts of some civilians people were killed before police could arrive. Not the police fault. A determined attack like this meant people were murdered quickly.

2017 London Bridge attack - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

The van crashed on Borough High Street,[19] after crossing the central reservation. The van's tyres were destroyed by the central reservation and the three attackers, armed with knives, abandoned the vehicle. Then they ran down the steps to Green Dragon Court, where they killed five people outside and near the Boro Bistro pub.[

 

[Rushy]

The last Fascist who committed a terrorist outrage in Brixton area did it in the market. Unless bollards are going to be put everywhere its not going to solve the problem.

Bollards wouldn't have been very effective in that case ... he was on foot!

 

[Rushy]

Whatever one might think of Ros the obsession with bollards , which is or has happened across central London, it is not the solution to terrorism. I see bollards everywhere now in central London.

Whether or not anyone agrees with the bollards in principle is a distraction. They're there. What's her point complaining about them in this context? She's surely not going to propose lifting them in order to space them out by another few cm. She's just conflating a whole lot of unconnected issues such as bollards, Windrush 75 anniversary celebrations and toilets and using that to get attention for her vision for Windrush Square to be converted into an international tourist destination. Uninquisitive content generators at The Bugle seem happy to parrot her and her claims that she represents some impressive community alliance.

 

[editor]

Whether or not anyone agrees with the bollards in principle is a distraction. They're there. What's her point complaining about them in this context? She's surely not going to propose lifting them in order to space them out by another few cm. She's just conflating a whole lot of unconnected issues such as bollards, Windrush 75 anniversary celebrations and toilets and using that to get attention for her vision for Windrush Square to be converted into an international tourist destination. Uninquisitive content generators at The Bugle seem happy to parrot her and her claims that she represents some impressive community alliance.

That is indeed the point. I'd like to know why she feels empowered to declare that people want Windrush Square to turn into the Trafalgar Square of the south (what a truly fucking ridiculous idea) and how much she'd stand to personally gain from any of her proposals.

 

[Gramsci]

Whether or not anyone agrees with the bollards in principle is a distraction. They're there. What's her point complaining about them in this context? She's surely not going to propose lifting them in order to space them out by another few cm. She's just conflating a whole lot of unconnected issues such as bollards, Windrush 75 anniversary celebrations and toilets and using that to get attention for her vision for Windrush Square to be converted into an international tourist destination. Uninquisitive content generators at The Bugle seem happy to parrot her and her claims that she represents some impressive community alliance.

I agree.

I was trying to be reasonable.

When I first read the piece in the Brixton Bugle her going on about the bollards did irritate me.

My immediate reaction was that I've seen this before. I was not going to post it originally as it was my first visceral reaction.

The Council have favoured community leaders. They can spout off like this and no one in Council has a go at them.

Me its different. I don't rant at Council ( unless here to let off steam). I read the Council reports and put forward questions to Council.

Did this at recent meeting. Whilst some Cllrs took what I said on board I got the usual barbed comment at end. I was not "representative" of the community. The implication being my considered views really should not be taken into account. Or partially discounted.

This kind of double standard which I see drives me mad. But I have to try and not rise to it.

I've l learnt not to rant as I've been told by one of my Cllrs I'm part of the "same old faces" who pop up when consultations etc are being done.

It drives me nuts as imo I participate in the democratic process. For that I and others have been disparaged as having "privilege"- which is how one Council officer referred to me in a previous consultation some years back.

They really hate people who are self educated in planning and local issues related to Councils.

 

[happyshopper]

Councillors have a tendency to prefer listening to people/groups with whom they have some sort of client/funding relationship.

 

[DietCokeGirl]

Competition to ‘re-imagine’ Atlantic Road and Windrush Square

Atlantic Road in January this year The London Festival of Architecture (LFA), Lambeth council and the Brixton Business Improvement District (BID) have launched a design competition inviting architects, designers and artists to submit a proposal for “interventions” at Atlantic Road and Windrush Sq

brixtonblog.com

"The London Festival of Architecture (LFA), Lambeth council and the Brixton Business Improvement District (BID) have launched a design competition inviting architects, designers and artists to submit a proposal for “interventions” at Atlantic Road and Windrush Square."

Etc etc etc, Article goes on a bit regurgitating press releases.

 

[Tricky Skills]

Competition to ‘re-imagine’ Atlantic Road and Windrush Square

Atlantic Road in January this year The London Festival of Architecture (LFA), Lambeth council and the Brixton Business Improvement District (BID) have launched a design competition inviting architects, designers and artists to submit a proposal for “interventions” at Atlantic Road and Windrush Sq

brixtonblog.com

"The London Festival of Architecture (LFA), Lambeth council and the Brixton Business Improvement District (BID) have launched a design competition inviting architects, designers and artists to submit a proposal for “interventions” at Atlantic Road and Windrush Square."

Etc etc etc, Article goes on a bit regurgitating press releases.

"The London Festival of Architecture (LFA), Lambeth council and the Brixton Business Improvement District (BID)" - a coalition of trust, ably backed up by the press release pasters.

 

[TopCat]

Making Atlantic Road pedestrian only will remove much resiliency from the road network leading to longer bus journeys and potential gridlock.

The best way of improving the road would be to offer cheap leases on the empty arches and other properties along there.

As for Windrush Square, improve the lighting, refurbishment of the toilets, proper seating, easy access applications for events.

 

[TopCat]

The competition is interesting for its timeline at least.
“A winning team will be confirmed in April and awarded £27,000 + VAT (which includes a £4,000 design fee) to develop a fully costed, feasible design that can be delivered in June and activated over the long weekend of 8th – 11th June.”

This is rather short. I can’t see how this will work for delivery in June. It starts to reek of a pre selected stitch up. That or a usual Ros fuck up.

 

[Tricky Skills]

The competition is interesting for its timeline at least.
“A winning team will be confirmed in April and awarded £27,000 + VAT (which includes a £4,000 design fee) to develop a fully costed, feasible design that can be delivered in June and activated over the long weekend of 8th – 11th June.”

This is rather short. I can’t see how this will work for delivery in June. It starts to reek of a pre selected stitch up. That or a usual Ros fuck up.

Paging The Brixton Project.

 

[Rushy]

As for Windrush Square, improve the lighting, refurbishment of the toilets, proper seating, easy access applications for events.

I guess it depends what kinds of events. I don't support turning the square into yet another event space for hire managed by Lambeth Events with community engagement by Ros Griffiths, Friends of Windrush Square.

(Of course, Lambeth will argue that their consultation carried out in the first couple of weeks of the first lockdown in 2020 demonstrated that what people really want is for all central spaces to become event venues.).

 

[Rushy]

The competition is interesting for its timeline at least.
“A winning team will be confirmed in April and awarded £27,000 + VAT (which includes a £4,000 design fee) to develop a fully costed, feasible design that can be delivered in June and activated over the long weekend of 8th – 11th June.”

This is rather short. I can’t see how this will work for delivery in June. It starts to reek of a pre selected stitch up. That or a usual Ros fuck up.

I love the way Brixton Bugleblog's coverage is so incisive.

 

[editor]

"The London Festival of Architecture (LFA), Lambeth council and the Brixton Business Improvement District (BID)" - a coalition of trust, ably backed up by the press release pasters.

Naturally no press release was sent to Brixton Buzz. It's almost like they don't want everyone knowing about their exciting plans.

 

[lang rabbie]

I saw some of the risk assessments for the Square. A real threat of a hostile vehicle attack by the far right.

I had heard on the grapevine that this scenario was what the Met shared with Lambeth, but what intelligence can it have been based on?

Thankfully the far right still seem to remain both too chaotically disorganised to plan the logistics of an attack, and not "motivated" enough to consider martyrdom for the cause of white supremacy. Long may that remain so.

 

[CH1]

Excuse me for a bit of a side-step here, but just to point out that next week is the opening of a nine week exhibition which ought to appeal to most Brixton old-timers:

Shifting the Centre: Grenada as Reference​

​

[justification: currently this thread has most mentions of BCA!]

 

[editor]

There's a, err, 'Friends of Windrush Square Community Engagement Hub' happening on the 30th Oct at the Empathy Museum.

Please join us to discuss some of the key issues facing Windrush Square, and to develop solutions together.

Dr Henry Staples, University of Sheffield will be presenting on the Friends of Windrush Square Community Research Labs: Key findings and Next Steps.

For some reason, all of this is being tacked on to the meeting:

In addition, find out more about emerging events such as The Big Caribbean Lunch, Black History Month, Remembrance Sunday plus more and to identify suitable funding opportunities.

And some stuff about the Empathy Museum too. WTF has this got to do with Windrush Square?

Friends of Windrush Square Community Engagement Hub

Please join us and help continue to make Windrush Square one of the most historic, vibrant open-air civic spaces in Brixton and beyond.

www.eventbrite.com

 

[Rushy]

I signed up months ago for updates but have not heard a thing. Their "X" has no info - nothing since April. Their Facebook seems to have been deleted or made private.

 

[editor]

I signed up months ago for updates but have not heard a thing. Their "X" has no info - nothing since April. Their Facebook seems to have been deleted or made private.

I always get the impression they Ros & Co just want to do their thing and aren't really interested in what the actual community outside her group of pals thinks.

Lifelong Brixton resident, Windrush descendant and community organiser Ros Griffiths chairs the Friends of Windrush Square group. This independent collection of residents, activists and business representatives (which includes the Black Cultural Archives, Brixton Blog, Black Culture Market and Repowering London) exists, as its mission statement puts it, to protect and promote “the heritage, function, and architecture” of the square. It does so by advocating for initiatives that generate social value – in other words, that benefit the local community.

She's already telling people that the FOWS group is her 'legacy'

The Friends of Windrush Square, instead, want to see Windrush Square used in a way that benefits the local community. They would love, for example, to see the disused public toilets converted into a community hub. As Griffiths says:

Friends of Windrush Square is my legacy. The history matters, but we’re imagining what Windrush Square could be in 2048.

My colleagues and I have worked with the group on a series of community research labs. Our aim is to support that reimagining initiative through shared reflection on challenges, priorities and solutions, and to co-develop a local place plan which outlines the group’s long-term vision.

Reclaiming Windrush Square: why urban development projects need to heed local voices

When a community is involved in how their spaces are developed, these can foster a sense of belonging and make diverse societies more cohesive.

theconversation.com

 

[TopCat]

I had heard on the grapevine that this scenario was what the Met shared with Lambeth, but what intelligence can it have been based on?

Thankfully the far right still seem to remain both too chaotically disorganised to plan the logistics of an attack, and not "motivated" enough to consider martyrdom for the cause of white supremacy. Long may that remain so.

There was the vehicle attack on the Finsbury Park mosque. Unplanned, spur of the moment by bitter racist bastard.