crack use in central brixton

[Leighsw2]

hi, I'm new to these forums. I've had a read around them and I'm aware the issue has arisen before, but just wanted to ask the question, "are people concerned about crack cocaine use in the Rushcroft, Coldharbour, Saltoun, Effra area?" I hope i'm not being oversensitive but, after living in this area for 8 years, just off Coldharbour, I can't remember it being so bad in terms of users openly consuming crack and heroine, often in broad daylight, down our street.

Am I over-reacting or do others perceive a similar rise in this problem? And what can we do about it? Or is it time to leave Brixton and live somewhere else? (hope not!) Ideas please!

 

[DrRingDing]

If yer can't beat 'em join 'em

 

[editor]

It comes and goes in waves, but it's been pretty bad around Coldharbour/Moorlands for years, with the situation noticeably worsening in the last three years.

It hasn't seemed as bad in the last couple of months though: maybe they've moved on or maybe I'm just managing to avoid them (I don't walk down Somerleyton Road any more after being belted by two crack heads in a random attack last year)

 

[Bob]

It comes and goes in waves, but it's been pretty bad around Coldharbour/Moorlands for years, with the situation noticeably worsening in the last three years.

It hasn't seemed as bad in the last couple of months though: maybe they've moved on or maybe I'm just managing to avoid them (I don't walk down Somerleyton Road any more after being belted by two crack heads in a random attack last year)

I think that when the police crack down a bit in the centre of Brixton people drift out to the sides of Brixton - including some to further down bit of Coldharbour lane. Hence when it gets bad right in the centre it probably gets slightly better further out - round Somerlyton / Coldharbour area now seems a bit better than a few months back.

 

[IntoStella]

I live in Rushcroft rd and yes, it has got a lot worse lately (and it was bad before), possibly because a lot of the shenanigans that used to go on in Tate gardens have been displaced. I'm sorry to say people generally just put up with it, myself included, but it is wearing me down. I cannot get a good night's sleep without wearing earplugs and it is stressful having all these fucking goons wandering about in the street all the time. If I complained I would literally be on the phone to the cops five times a night and that would do no good. We (the residents) could kick up a fuss but then the problem would only get displaced again, probably to the next steeet (Saltoun), so what's the point?

 

[Brixton Hatter]

I think it's worse in the side streets since the police did that Operation Whatchamicallit....and now the Community Cop Shop is open, I doubt it will return to Coldharbour...it'll just stay in the backstreets.

I seem to remember someone saying that the uniformed cops won't get involved in drug use/drug dealing....cos that's the job of the Brixton Drug Squad (which consists of 3 people according to a local copper I met last summer). I guess that's why it openly goes on.......and why dealers can sell openly outside Woolworths with no fear of getting busted.

 

[Choc]

i live in rushcroft road too. and it has become a bloody nightmare recently...

but i have been complaining so much already i don't want to start today again. what we (the residents) should really do is hang out outside our doors more often in the evenings and have a chat with each other...kind of reclaim the streets tactic...


i will move soon though for me i have lived around here for a real long time ...and i am not the best sleeper even without noise.

 

[top_biller]

I live on Rushcroft Road as well and agree with every word Intostella (and Choc) says. I've come home from work to find three crack heads packing pipes in the lobby to our flats, I've seen them hitting pipes at 7.30am sitting on the low wall that runs down the blocks. The bit adjacent to the library is like crackhead central, those three fire exit recessed doors are often completely full with users whilst a queue forms on the other side of the street.

It's worse during the summer but the noise at night is horrendous. I had to go and sleep on the sofa last week cause of some screetching bitch with her cackling laughter. I've come very close to opening my window and telling them to shut the fuck up but I imagine it would have the opposite effect. Its totally blatant as well and I've never seen a single police officer walking down Rushcroft (maybe once or twice in a year and a bit) or checking out the top of the road (except for a bust there a few weeks ago). It would be a turkey shoot if they got their arses in gear.

There's about five traffic wardens patrolling up and down it at any one time though. Great priorities. I'm so fed up with it I'm actively trying to move a bit further out away from CHL.

 

[Choc]

I live on Rushcroft Road as well and agree with every word Intostella (and Choc) says. I've come home from work to find three crack heads packing pipes in the lobby to our flats, I've seen them hitting pipes at 7.30am sitting on the low wall that runs down the blocks. The bit adjacent to the library is like crackhead central, those three fire exit recessed doors are often completely full with users whilst a queue forms on the other side of the street.

It's worse during the summer but the noise at night is horrendous. I had to go and sleep on the sofa last week cause of some screetching bitch with her cackling laughter. I've come very close to opening my window and telling them to shut the fuck up but I imagine it would have the opposite effect. Its totally blatant as well and I've never seen a single police officer walking down Rushcroft (maybe once or twice in a year and a bit) or checking out the top of the road (except for a bust there a few weeks ago). It would be a turkey shoot if they got their arses in gear.

There's about five traffic wardens patrolling up and down it at any one time though. Great priorities. I'm so fed up with it I'm actively trying to move a bit further out away from CHL.

all agreed...damn shame isn't it.

btw i also sleep sometimes in our sitting room or flatmates room if she isn't around....feels like a holiday innit

 

[pooka]

Is the problem users or dealers or both?

 

[Choc]

mainly users and using. they smoke everywhere. i don't think there is so much dealing going on (as yet)..

 

[rennie]

i passed by the aptly named the beat on saturday noon-ish and its was shut. what the bloody point?

 

[aylee]

After a gig at the Academy recently, I had to step over some glaze-eyed guys smoking on the steps going up to the south-bound platform at Brixton station. All three of them were puffing away at glass pipes and there was an acrid smell in the air. Unbelievable.

They didn't even seem to notice me.

 

[editor]

Brixton train station is a long favoured haunt for crack smoking and junkies - the tracks above are absolutely littered with filthy needles.

 

[rennie]

i've written on an old thread that we've seen some junkies around water lane recently... probably refugees from CHL.

 

[boohoo]

Seems to be a lot of crack heads down near Jamm. Daytime anyway.

Though the strangest crack related sight was seeing someone smoking a crack pipe in a fried chicken shop in Seven sisters.

 

[rennie]

Though the strangest crack related sight was seeing someone smoking a crack pipe in a fried chicken shop in Seven sisters.

multi-tasking.

 

[Skimix]

Though the strangest crack related sight was seeing someone smoking a crack pipe in a fried chicken shop in Seven sisters.

Few weeks ago a bloke lit up next to me on the northern line tube platform at Stockwell, 10am on a Sunday morning!

 

[linerider]

Is the problem users or dealers or both?

the dealers moved from outside the albert to in front of the ritzy,this seems to have caused alot more using on rushcroft rd,and alot more muggings on roads like saltoun,which because of being treelined it can't have cameras.

 

[Dave Mullen]

I was accosted by a load of them last week outside the back of the Ritzy.

I understand there was talk of a petition to do something about the problem.

A few years ago there was talk of designing crime out of areas with the police and businesses working together to make it less easy for low level nuisance crimes such as street drinking (The aggressive kind not just a couple of hold boys having a couple of tinnies) and higher level crimes such as smoking crack and dealing. I think it was in one of the boroughs north of the Thames it would be useful to find out what happened in this project and if we could lobby Lambeth/Local businesses and the Police to work to solving this problem.

 

[Blagsta]

Without more money put into drug treatment services, mental health, education and housing nothing will change. "Designing" out crime will only displace it somewhere else.

 

[IntoStella]

I understand there was talk of a petition to do something about the problem.

You're quite right. I haven't seen it yet, though.

 

[IntoStella]

I've come very close to opening my window and telling them to shut the fuck up

Hello neighbour

Not done it myself (though SORELY tempted lately) but people who have in Rushcroft have got a lot of abuse. I think you're right -- it would just make things worse.

What really disturbs me is when you hear screaming -- is it really a woman being attacked or just some crack fuelled row?

PS I really recommend earplugs -- try the wax ones called Muffles from Boots. At least then you can sleep in your own bed.

 

[Dave Mullen]

Without more money put into drug treatment services, mental health, education and housing nothing will change. "Designing" out crime will only displace it somewhere else.

I agree. I wasn't trying to imply that that was the only solution. Govt policy lately (I think) has been to evict drug users and dealers from their flats which only displaces the problem onto the streets.

 

[Stobart Stopper]

You lot should move east to Redbridge if the crackheads are getting to you.All you get here is chavs burning down your shed. The odd punch up on a Friday night down the Maypole. Nice forest up the road, Sarfend is only 40 minutes away. You can even leave your car unlocked all night around here.

 

[TeeJay]

Without more money put into drug treatment services, mental health, education and housing nothing will change. "Designing" out crime will only displace it somewhere else.

But wouldn't displacing it away from residential streets where people are trying to sleep be a slight improvement?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

After a gig at the Academy recently, I had to step over some glaze-eyed guys smoking on the steps going up to the south-bound platform at Brixton station. All three of them were puffing away at glass pipes and there was an acrid smell in the air. Unbelievable.

They didn't even seem to notice me.

That's interesting. Around here, the crackheads seem to be constantly moving. I don't think I've ever seen one still.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

There have always been drug users at rock bottom in my adulthood, the reason they are on the streets now is lack of squats. When I first came to Brixton the council block I was living in was well over half unoccupied. There were loads of squatters then, mostly absolutely fine, but there were also plenty of nihilist addicts too.

 

[Blagsta]

But wouldn't displacing it away from residential streets where people are trying to sleep be a slight improvement?

Displace it to where exactly?

 

[top_biller]

Hello neighbour

Not done it myself (though SORELY tempted lately) but people who have in Rushcroft have got a lot of abuse. I think you're right -- it would just make things worse.

What really disturbs me is when you hear screaming -- is it really a woman being attacked or just some crack fuelled row?

PS I really recommend earplugs -- try the wax ones called Muffles from Boots. At least then you can sleep in your own bed.

Hello there. I sometimes hope that if one person told them to shut up and go home, a few more might open their windows and give them a torrent as well. Strength in numbers and all that. Doubt it though. Alternatively, I've got a great line of sight if I could get my hands on a high calibre telescopic sniper rifle.

Agree about the screaming. I usually assume an argument over the last rock. I remember a few months back being woken about 4 by someone shouting for someone to call the police cause he was getting mugged. Duly did and no-one came. Seen some strange goings on in that road.

Last night was relatively quiet. Still the same hive of activity up by the library though. I've thought about getting plugs but worried I might sleep blissfully through my alarm....