The former shops and businesses of Brixton

[Brixton Hatter]

I've only lived round here for about 9 years but my girlfriend is born and bred in Brixton. One of the things I love most about walking round Brixton with her is that she often points out where old shops or businesses used to be, or a bit of land that used to have X on it, or a house that used to be something else etc.

Most recently we were walking along Barnwell Road (I think) and she pointed out an unassuming white house on the corner. Apparently this used to be a sweet shop where she and her brother would run round the corner to from their house. Another one was a newsagents (or possibly a fruit shop? Can't remember...) that was apparently under the railway bridge in Herne Hill (opposite Cafe Prov). Now there is just a steel door in the wall.

What old shops and businesses do you remember in the local area? Any fond memories or good stories? Anything sadly missed?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Have you asked her if she knew of a Chinese Store on Brixton Hill?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

There used to be a fantastic chippy called Monty's. Unfortunately I don't know where it was as I didn't live in London at the time, but my grandfather was great friends of the owner. He used to have people coming for miles and miles to get his fish and chips but we always used to go straight to the front of the queue

I think it was somewhere between Herne Hill and Camberwell though. Does your girlfriend know it? Can't remember when it shut but probably well over 10/15 years ago.

God, the thought of Monty's fish and chips is making me drool

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Have you asked her if she knew of a Chinese Store on Brixton Hill?

Ha! I forgot about that - it's your pet subject isn't it?

I'll ask her - and also about the chippy.

Come to think of it, across the UK we must have lost thousands of chippys in the past 10 or 15 years. When I first moved into Railton Road (literally my first day there) I saw a "Chip Shop" sign on one of the shops in Effra Parade when I was walking past. I went home, scraped together 3 quid and waited for "frying time". When I cycled back up there and reached the front of the shop, I realised that it must have been shut for years. I was absolutely gutted

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Ha! I forgot about that - it's your pet subject isn't it?
I'll ask her - and also about the chippy.

Not at all, it's just it seems like I'm the only person that knows it was ever there

When I first moved into Railton Road (literally my first day there) I saw a "Chip Shop" sign on one of the shops in Effra Parade when I was walking past. I went home, scraped together 3 quid and waited for "frying time". When I cycled back up there and reached the front of the shop, I realised that it must have been shut for years. I was absolutely gutted

Eejit

 

[sipriano]

The pie and mash shop !

 

[editor]

When I first moved into Railton Road (literally my first day there) I saw a "Chip Shop" sign on one of the shops in Effra Parade when I was walking past.

And here it is a few weeks ago:

 

[sipriano]

Have'nt you got a picture of the pie shop on coldharbour lane ? it had this amazing curved glass window that survived the devastation of the 81 and 85 riots, I have some very early memories of going in there.

 

[hatboy]

Editor has a pic of the Barnwell newsagent on the Then and Nows. I recall that shop and the one under the Herne Hill bridge btw.

The Art Deco Cooltan is a good one in Effra. And the Empress Theatre, both gone in the last 15 years.

Change eh? Gotta get used to it. But you can fight inappropriate change. Unfair change.

This is Mayall Rd, where Bob Marley Way is now. (Bob Marley Way - what an insult that street is to Bob Marley! - bland, bland, bland - so obviously a clumsy municipal attempt to appease the West Indian community after the riots. Inferior buildings not good enough to carry his name I reckon).

 

[tom796]

Another one was a newsagents (or possibly a fruit shop? Can't remember...) that was apparently under the railway bridge in Herne Hill (opposite Cafe Prov). Now there is just a steel door in the wall.

that one's a relatively recent departure - three or four years perhaps? (hhmm maybe my memory's a bit fucked)

 

[hipipol]

Suzee Blue Cheese posting as Hipipol:

Aye them days were grand. Was the pie shop you are thinking of the building that now houses the Noodle Bar/House?

It's been through several disguises since I've lived in Brixton and it's housed a couple of wicked parties. However I seem to remember it was a Pie & Mash or Eel shop when I first got here. Did I just dream that or does anyone else remember it?

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Yes, it was the Pie & Mash shop...It had a great sign that said "Don't stand outside being miserable, come inside and be fed up."
I went there with my first mother-in-law, the indomitable Eileen, doyenne of pie & mash shops. She didn't rate it much.....I went to loads of South London Pie & Mash shops with her.......I never told her that I thought Manzi's in Archway was the best I tasted...she rated one in the Elephant (long gorn) as the best.......

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I remember her penchant for jellied eels too....God, I haven't thought of Eileen giving me my first (and last) taste of Jellied Eels for years.......

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Actually she wasn't really my mother-in-law really. My first husband didn't have a family tree, he had a family thicket.....she was his step-mother....but I always called her Mum, just like he did.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

that one's a relatively recent departure - three or four years perhaps? (hhmm maybe my memory's a bit fucked)

I moved to herne hill in about '96 and it definitely wasn't there then! Sorry Tom, the memory must be a bit fcuked!

.....I went to loads of South London Pie & Mash shops with her.......

There was one on up on the Oval end of Brixton Road - only closed a couple of years ago I think.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I moved to herne hill in about '96 and it definitely wasn't there then! Sorry Tom, the memory must be a bit fcuked!


There was one on up on the Oval end of Brixton Road - only closed a couple of years ago I think.

Less than a couple of years ago. Apparently it was pretty crap though. Name began with an "A"

 

[Gramsci]

In Atlantic Rd form the dogstar to the start of Railton Rd their were several shops I remember.An old lady who ran a second hand shop.She sold everything including gas fires and plumbing stuff-good for Short/Life and Squatting.A traditional meatpie/sausage shop-that was always closed though never damaged in the riots.The shopfront has now dissappeared.The original Frontline Off-licence near where the first riots started.The Grain Barn-where Lounge is now.The Grain Barn is now across the road called Brixton wholefoods.

Atlantic Rd ended where the original Mayall Rd and Railton Rd started.As Hatboys photo showed.This had been cleared for demolition a while back and for a while was a centre of squatting in Brixton.The houses were nice smallish terrace ones and saveable.

CHL from the Dogstar to the Ritzy had a wider range of shops than now.Their was a baker,tool/hardware shop(where the "Hotel" is now),shoe shop.I remember the shoe shop was looted in the first riots.I always remember a small kid running with a large pair of doc martins.He was being chased by a Policeman-the scene looked so bizarre it stuck in my mind.On the other side their was a cafe called "Silvas Nest" that was quite popular.

Tescos used to be in Brixton-replaced by the now gone Kwiksave.

 

[supercity]

Comic shop

I miss the comic shop that used to be next door to the Atllantic (Dogstar) on CHL. Was it called Acme Comics??

Also, Brixton Hill was once graced by 2 chippies, the one that survives and one round the corner where there's now a hairdressers. The second one was better.

 

[Gramsci]

The Comic Shop went when Dogstar Larry took it over.He tried to use it as a cloakroom for the Dogstar and the upstairs as offices not flats.

Its often assumed that until Brixton was saved by the arrival of government grants and a "better class of people", who are seeing their house values going up in Brixton, its retail sector was poor.

IMO their was a wider range of shops and services in Central Brixton before it was "regenerated" than now.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I'd agree with that. There are places that are sadly missed...does anyone remember 'Precious Little' in the covered market? And the Kowloon Chinese Emporium in the arcade down the side of the tube?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I miss the comic shop that used to be next door to the Atllantic (Dogstar) on CHL. Was it called Acme Comics??

Also, Brixton Hill was once graced by 2 chippies, the one that survives and one round the corner where there's now a hairdressers. The second one was better.

The hairdressers chippy was run by Chinese I think. Lots of people seem to prefer Chinese chips. Why? Do they use different oils or something?

The other chippy, Alberts? I'll keep my gob shut about that place

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I'd agree with that. There are places that are sadly missed...does anyone remember 'Precious Little' in the covered market? And the Kowloon Chinese Emporium in the arcade down the side of the tube?

Yes, I remember that - all the Kimonos and joss sticks and little wooden carvings in glass boxes

 

[isvicthere?]

What old shops and businesses do you remember in the local area? Any fond memories or good stories? Anything sadly missed?

Ee, lad, I can remember when Brixton 'ill were nowt but fields.

<runs for cover before thread develops into a huge debate on the "g" word>

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Minnie - I'm afraid my gf doesn't remember either the chinese shop on Brixton Hill, or Monty's chippy.... sorry!

Ee, lad, I can remember when Brixton 'ill were nowt but fields.

Indeed it was! The Brixton Society has some excellent maps of Brixton around 1890 when most of the area was fields. I believe much of the housing on Brixton Hill/Tulse Hill was built between 1890 and the 20s/30s.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Minnie - I'm afraid my gf doesn't remember either the chinese shop on Brixton Hill, or Monty's chippy.... sorry!


Indeed it was! The Brixton Society has some excellent maps of Brixton around 1890 when most of the area was fields. I believe much of the housing on Brixton Hill/Tulse Hill was built between 1890 and the 20s/30s.

That's a shame. Could you get yourself a new g/f who might know please?

 

[editor]

I've got two well 'andy handy Ordnance Survey maps of the Brixton area, dating from 1870 and 1894.

I could spend hours pouring over 'em. But, then again, I'm a bit sad about maps.

 

[newbie]

G you sure about the hardware shop being where the hotel is now? I remember it as becoming the cycleshop- it was brown and called Cutlers, Coulters, something like that. Good shop, I was sad when it went.

I also miss Tonys, the deli on CHL that just vanished one day without warning.

But most of all I miss the Arcade bakery which has been 're-opening soon' for the last 9 months or so- perhaps longer, I was obsessively waiting for it to re-open for last Christmas. I still steer past there weekly, just to check (well, my wander usually includes a bit of a detour to check the state of the live snail trade. I saw someone the other day investigating each snail in detail, looking for the best. I thought about asking her what qualities a good snail should have but I'm too shy and way too squeamish).


While we've got a history thread, does anyone know the story behind the 1856(?) Lambeth Vestry lamppost on the corner of Atlantic and Brixton Rd?

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Yes, I reckon the Hotel was the Continental Food Store (it was in 1981) and above that in the War was a WRVS-type feeding station for underprivileged mothers and children...I know someone who ate there as a child.......I reckon the hardware shop was further along too......

 

[Mrs Magpie]

While we've got a history thread, does anyone know the story behind the 1856(?) Lambeth Vestry lamppost on the corner of Atlantic and Brixton Rd?

This is just a guess, but it might be to do with 'beating the bounds' which I think happens on Rogation Sunday....

<edited to add link>

http://www.farmingmatters.org.uk/seasons/ben.html

 

[newbie]

I wondered about boundaries, but with what?


going back to what Gramsci posted

The original Frontline Off-licence near where the first riots started.The Grain Barn-where Lounge is now.The Grain Barn is now across the road called Brixton wholefoods.

Further along from the offie was a bookies, Mecca I think, and an oldstyle West Indian grocers, with little on the shelves.

When was it called the Grain Barn? It was the Brixton & Bangladesh food co-op when it started. There was a glasscutting shop along there somewhere, too, and opposite, just near the Weatherman shop, was a (blue?) reggae shop. I can't remember what was in the current wholefood shop, though.