Brady's, Brixton: history, chat and plans

[citydreams]

Brady's was closed down in the late 1990s and has remained derelict since squatters were evicted in 2002.

What would it take to get this building open as a community area, available for hire by commercial events and operating on a not-for-profit basis?

[editor]

I'd say reopening the pub as an arts-based community bar could be a winner.

Cooltan had already proved the demand for live theatre/performance art/poetry/gigs whatever and - thinking selfishly for a moment - it would be the ideal home for Offline!

There's a ton of talent in Brixton but far too few live venues. Despite its huge theatrical history, there's nothing here at all now AFAIK - an upstairs theatre at Brady's could be a real asset to the community.

As for costing, it might be an idea to talk to the previous squatters who did a great job of sorting the venue out.

[citydreams]

What happened to the owners?

[dogmatique]

The state the clocktower is in at the moment is a crying shame. Should be a well loved local landmark, not a grafitti covered wreck like it is.

[citydreams]

Originally Posted by dogmatique

The state the clocktower is in at the moment is a crying shame. Should be a well loved local landmark, not a grafitti covered wreck like it is.

It's amazing that I can't find any info about the clocktower on the net other than a link from Urban that it is listed.
Does anyone have anything from the archives or is it worth getting in touch with www.brixtonsociety.org?

[kea]

"You can ring the Listed Buildings Information Service on 020 7208 8221 who will fax you a copy of the listing for one particular building after a three day delay. You can see lists covering your local area and obtain copies of individual entries at your local council planning department, County Council offices and most local reference libraries. The full English national list is kept by English Heritage at the National Monuments Record, Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2GZ."

www.heritage.co.uk

[IntoStella]

Originally Posted by editor

I'd say reopening the pub as an arts-based community bar could be a winner.

Cooltan had already proved the demand for live theatre/performance art/poetry/gigs whatever and - thinking selfishly for a moment - it would be the ideal home for Offline!

There's a ton of talent in Brixton but far too few live venues. Despite its huge theatrical history, there's nothing here at all now AFAIK - an upstairs theatre at Brady's could be a real asset to the community.

As for costing, it might be an idea to talk to the previous squatters who did a great job of sorting the venue out.

They did a great job but everything was done on a shoestring in a very ad hoc way.

I think this needs to be done properly, like the Raleigh Hall work. Proper surveys, feasibility studies, HLF grant applications etc.

One thing that I think should be prioritised is getting the clock tower listed. I seem to recall we have discussed this here before. If there is enough weight of local support/feeling then it should be a goer?

We also need to find out what the council is actually intending to do with it. This is never very easy with Lambeth but anything on paper should hopefully be accessible by putting in a Freedom of Information request.

Where's Rabbie? He knows all about this sort of thing.

I think the editor is pretty much right about the community bar/venue idea as a useful and realistic objective but then, of course, you've got to find out what the community really wants.

But first things first. The council may not want to co-operate at all. Depends what their plans are. We'd have to know what we were actually taking on (by getting access for a start) before setting out any realistic aims. I don't know how bad a state of disrepair it's in these days.

It is a tricky one and no mistaking.

Sorry if all this sounds overly pessimistic. It's not that I don't want to see it happen -- I passionately want to see it happen. It's just not a quick stroll in the park, that's all.

Are the talented and motivated peple of u75 up to making something happen?

[IntoStella]

Originally Posted by kea

"You can ring the Listed Buildings Information Service on 020 7208 8221 who will fax you a copy of the listing for one particular building after a three day delay. You can see lists covering your local area and obtain copies of individual entries at your local council planning department, County Council offices and most local reference libraries. The full English national list is kept by English Heritage at the National Monuments Record, Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2GZ."

www.heritage.co.uk

I went to the planning office with AK last year to look it up and it's not listed.

[kea]

fair enough, just addressing citydream's questions. perhaps the first thing to do is set out what's known about it / the situation / its condition / owners / etc?

[IntoStella]

Originally Posted by kea

fair enough, just addressing citydream's questions.

I wasn't being argumentative .

You'd be forgiven for assuming the clocktower at least was listed -- I think a lot of people do -- but it isn't. It should be. I'm sure we discussed this before with our resident Lambeth experts. Rabbie? Bob? Pooka? I can't remember. Senile.

perhaps the first thing to do is set out what's known about it / the situation / its condition / owners / etc?

Quite. It's a bit like finding the end of a ball of wool but far from impossible.

[kea]

no, i know, i was just trying to make the point that citydreams is commendably enthusiastic but perhaps needs to be brought 'up to speed' (to use management consultant speak ) on the current situation. (as do others who are interested, presumably - not singling them out in particular!)

[flameacademy]

i think you can get some of that info from The Land Regsitry - online - but costs a fiver or something...

[flameacademy]

Here you go

http://www.landregisteronline.gov.uk/

[IntoStella]

Originally Posted by flameacademy

i think you can get some of that info from The Land Regsitry - online - but costs a fiver or something...

Am I right in thinking LR can do free land registry searches? I hate to admit it but I don't even have a credit/debit card.

If it's only 2 quid I'll reimburse somebody for doing it. In full!

[kea]

i remember him having done so in the past i think .... (i read a lot of his threads even tho i have nothing to contribute to them!!)

[citydreams]

*

[citydreams]

Originally Posted by flameacademy

Here you go

http://www.landregisteronline.gov.uk/

Ok.. I'll give it a whirl

[citydreams]

TITLE NUMBER : TGL187911
B PROPRIETORSHIP REGISTER
This register specifies the class of title and identifies the owner. It
contains any entries that affect the right of disposal.
TITLE ABSOLUTE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 (26.04.2001) PROPRIETOR: =THE MAYOR AND BURGESSES OF THE LONDON
BOROUGH OF +LAMBETH+= of Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton, London SW2 1RW.

[citydreams]

shit. I don't know if I've got the wrong records
the above is for 22 to 26 (even) Atlantic Road, land to the rear of
18 to 36 (even) Electric Avenue, and land on the
east side of Electric Lane, Brixton

[IntoStella]

From Brixton Central newsletter, October 2004 (unpublished)

Regeneration charity aims to save landmark

Bradys bar in Atlantic Road was loved for decades as a thriving, friendly community pub. It had an impressive reputation as a live music venue: legend has it Jimi Hendrix played there in the ’60s.
Now owned by the council, it stands empty and rotting.
Lambeth now plans to pull down this beautiful Victorian building, whose six-sided clocktower is a Brixton landmark, and build flats on the site.
A group of central Brixton residents wants to save Bradys and reopen it as a much-needed community centre and venue. It is forming a charity to attract National Lottery funding into the neighbourhood.

Vaudeville tradition
Central Brixton resident _____ _______ said: “Brixton used to have six theatres and a famous vaudeville tradition. One of my neighbours ‘trod the boards’ for 50 years.
“Yet the area has no theatre, no major community centre, no arts centre and no music school.
If local people don’t get together to provide these facilities, no-one else will.
“Large sums of lottery funding should be flowing into Brixton, which is one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Britain.”
The aim of the new charity is to avoid the mistakes made by the Brixton Challenge initiative and to establish a major charity that remains firmly under the control of local people.

Ohhhh, the irony. Never mind. A year has passed and I'm raring to give it another go.

[citydreams]

well. I've double checked and this is supposed to be for Brady's. I can see the public house on the plans.

[citydreams]

Lambeth now plans to pull down this beautiful Victorian building, whose six-sided clocktower is a Brixton landmark, and build flats on the site.

Not a chance!

[IntoStella]

Originally Posted by citydreams

shit. I don't know if I've got the wrong records
the above is for 22 to 26 (even) Atlantic Road, land to the rear of
18 to 36 (even) Electric Avenue, and land on the
east side of Electric Lane, Brixton

Yeah, that's the one.

So we know it is still definitely owned (freehold) by the council. Good. Now we need to know what their intentions are. AFAIK they want to pull it down and build new flats, but I don't have documentary proof of that.

[lang rabbie]

Originally Posted by citydreams

What happened to the owners?

I have a sneaking suspicion that it may be owned by Lambeth, with a housing association having an option on the site.

IIRC the (very sketchy) plans were determibed by the need to leave space for the proposed lifts/escalators to new platforms on the high level railway - now dropped by TfL.

Originally Posted by hatboy on 2004 community centre thread

These plans, which are the latest info from Lambeth council, make no provision for Bradys as a venue. They will involve demolishing the gig room.

"Bradys/Phase 2 -

The project comprises a mixed retail and residential development of 90,000
sq ft into the currently poor quality back area behind Brixton underground
station. The proposal includes the development of a multi-modal transport
interchange: road, rail, and underground. The Council has acquired the land
and properteis necessary to undertake the project and a development partner
has obtained planning consent. The Council has engaged with London
Undergound on the commencement of the development now that the station
improvements have reached conclusion. It is intended to incorporate the
Brady's public house into the new development as a leisure/retail
destination, retaining the facade".

"leisure/retail" in English is a shop or a small bar. It will be of no significance IMO. Perhaps some of you should also make your views known on this and save it as a venue before the demolition team move in. It would be good to save more than the facade.

Edited to add: post now superfluous - that's what happens when work gets in the way of composing something on U75

[IntoStella]

Originally Posted by lang rabbie

I have a sneaking suspicion that it may be owned by Lambeth, with a housing association having an option on the site.

Any idea which HA?