Bye Bye Harlem

[Giles]

Was only thinking of popping in the other day... ah well. Agree with WOW on much of the above, though.

On the subject of pubs... why the fuck is Brady's still shut?

I've often wondered why "they" have not done anything with this. It's HUGE inside - I went to a few squat parties in there a few years back. It was a total shame to see this huge pub/venue just left to rot.

Don't the council own it, or something? I have a suspicion that only an organisation who aren't concerned about money would leave somewhere like that empty for so long.

Giles..

 

[rennie]

i never managed to give Harlem a try! eeeh! so what happened to those lovely dancers?

 

[IntoStella]

So what do we do about it? Seem to remember a rumour about Jamie Oliver taking it over..

Happy to say that was an old and thankfully untrue rumour. Nobody has managed to get their act together over Brady's which is a shame.

 

[citydreams]

Happy to say that was an old and thankfully untrue rumour. Nobody has managed to get their act together over Brady's which is a shame.

Has Brixton Action Commitee looked into it, or would it be better to squat?

 

[linerider]

On the subject of pubs... why the fuck is Brady's still shut?

last time i was in there(when it was last squated) the place was in a bad state of repair and would cost a fuck of a lot to put right,the electrics,gas and water would all have to be redone and all the floors and ceilings replaced.
i think if it wasn't for the clocktower it would have been knocked down along time ago or(puts on tinfoil hat)maybe whoever owns it want it to fall down so it can be replaced with some much needed luxury flats

 

[citydreams]

last time i was in there(when it was last squated) the place was in a bad state of repair and would cost a fuck of a lot to put right,the electrics,gas and water would all have to be redone and all the floors and ceilings replaced.

great way to learn new skills then

edit: How much do you reckon? How long has it been empty?

 

[BadlyDrawnGirl]

The Harlem's not the sort of place I'd normally go at all, but it did provide a tired and emotional acid priest with a godsent swiftly-obtained pint when I couldn't get into the Albert last Saturday.

 

[magneze]

How easy is it to start running a pub? Anyone know?

I just wonder ... cos it's kinda my future life plan to stop arsing about with computers and run a nice pub.

 

[twistedAM]

So the Arthur 'One Mix' Baker team is oput of there altogether then? Does that mean the idea of a hotel with decks in each room and the "inclusive" music industry private members bar is scuppered too? A couple of things brixton was really cyring out for

 

[tarannau]

How easy is it to start running a pub? Anyone know?

I just wonder ... cos it's kinda my future life plan to stop arsing about with computers and run a nice pub.

Fairly easy to start up, particularly if you want to be associated with an amenable brewery. Either that or you'll tend to need a fair bit of cash to set up. Bloody hard to keep running in the longer term though.

The hours are the killer. Unless you're lucky enough to have highly trusted staff (or family) that'll work for a comparative pittance, you'll be in there far too many hours. City centre pubs are a killer too - early deliveries, late hours, highly competitive market. It just wears you down, day after day.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time running pubs, but I wouldn't go back easily. There are rewards to be made, but not if you're working for others or wanting to compete as a well priced 'down to earth' city pub.

 

[IntoStella]

Has Brixton Action Commitee looked into it

Who?

 

[Isambard]

What Tarannau said.

 

[citydreams]

Who?

Apologies.. I meant, the Brixton Area Committee

 

[magneze]

There are rewards to be made, but not if you're working for others or wanting to compete as a well priced 'down to earth' city pub.

Yeah, I can imagine. I was thinking of working for myself - I'm already fed up of working for other people!

I keep vaguely looking into it ... I'll probably get more serious about it in a few years. I'm not sure whether a city or a country pub would be best. I'd probably prefer a city one, but maybe a country pub is easier long term ...

 

[IntoStella]

I have to say, even I thought Harlem would last longer than this.

Mind you, I only went there once, on raverdrew's birthday noshup. On that night, the food and service were both good.

(Must have been only that night!)

 

[IntoStella]

Apologies.. I meant, the Brixton Area Committee

Sadly, they couldn't give a stuff about Brady's. It's a posioned chalice in many ways, for the reasons outlined by linerider.

But if Raleigh Hall can get a new lease of life, as it is, at a cost of many millions on total (mostly Heritage Lotery Fund money), then so can Brady's, if the public pressure/support is there. It's an historic building of great architectural interest, after all -- at least the clocktower is. I was involved with some people who were supposed to be running a save Brady's campaign last year but when I produced a newsletter to try to drum up public support it got nixed by them. Let's just say they were too busy looking after number one.

The difference is the involvement of Black Cultural Archives in Raleigh Hall, which has given it political momentum. And they are a lot more organised than a bunch of white so-called anarchists.

If people are keen to see Brady's saved and restored, and are not
1) So called anarchists
2) Only in it for themselves
3) Full of shit

Then I would be more than happy to join them in organising a campaign.

 

[citydreams]

Would be good to try to resurrect this IS. Fancy giving it another go? I would like to get involved. Might be worth contacting a few friends to see about funding enquiries.

ah.. just seen your edit.

Time to start another thread

 

[IntoStella]

Would be good to try to resurrect this IS. Fancy giving it another go? I would like to get involved. Might be worth contacting a few friends to see about funding enquiries.

Yeah. I'm up for it.

Just a thought, but how about making it a u75 based campaign. Editor? (By that I don't mean that the editor ends up having to organise it, but simply that it seems like a logical progression.)

(Crikey! What am I getting myself into? )

 

[editor]

Then I would be more than happy to join them in organising a campaign.

Without going into specifics, the previous campaign came over a bit unfocused and impractical in its (well-intentioned) quest to be all things to all men (and women), IMO.

I'd say an arts-based community bar could be a winner because Cooltan has already proved the demand and there's a ton of talent in Brixton, but hey! - what do I know about running a pub?!

 

[citydreams]

New thread about Brady's here
http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=3494910

 

[magneze]

New thread about Brady's here
http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=3494910

Magneze, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:

1. Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
2. If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.


Dodgy link there mate ...

 

[editor]

Correct link: http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=130010

 

[tarannau]

Got a little extra gossip about the rebrand from an old Brixton face last w/e.

Apparently 'The Prince' has pretty much the same management as Harlem, with the exception of Arthur Baker, who's (ahem) rumoured to be something of a tricky bloke to work with.

The new Prince seems to be suffering in customer numbers compared to even Harlem, which is some achievement in itself. Some hope seems to be held out for 'Jazz sessions', starting on Sundays sometime soon, and free entry until 4 at the weekends, albeit with no details of the music played. There are still rumours of the members bar idea being carried out upstairs.

OK, it's in flux, but it seems a bit clueless at the moment. It's a self-appointed gastropub with classy jazz ambitions and a nondescript music policy, surrounded by clubs, an excellent existing jazz venue or two and plenty of restaurants.

And the place looks totally 'nothing' as well. The kind of place that you walk past without really noticing, only really occasionally looking in to see a sparse smattering unimpressed faces lined up on a succession of tables...

 

[rennie]

we went to the prince on saturday night for one last pint... it wasn't busy at all and an OK grolsch cost three quid!

the place looked kinda soulless... i think they might've been still serving food tho i might be wrong.

cannot describe it to Harlem as i'd never been to that. shame if it shuts tho.

 

[hipipol]

"And so Castles made of sand
Fell in the sea
Eventually"
Oh my
Hendrix themed bar anyone?
Its virtually the only "theme" we seem not to have yet

 

[citydreams]

Hendrix themed bar anyone?
Its virtually the only "theme" we seem not to have yet

http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=3497708&postcount=43

 

[editor]

OK, it's in flux, but it seems a bit clueless at the moment. It's a self-appointed gastropub with classy jazz ambitions and a nondescript music policy, surrounded by clubs, an excellent existing jazz venue or two and plenty of restaurants.

Looks like the place needs Offlining!

 

[clandestino]

it does doesn't it..?..only if you could use the upstairs members bar too. that could be the backroom.