police and evening standard outside the albert/house of bottles in huge police raid
- Thread starter tufty79
- Start date
There's a petition in support of Tony, owner of the House of Bottles. It was being passed around at the Albert last night, don't know if it will be tonight. But you can definitely find it a few doors along at the cab office - speak to whoever's at the front desk, probably Jenny. Please sign - it's a terrible injustice and Tony needs everyone's support to keep his business going.
e2a: Don't miss today's SLP! Their account of the raid has valuable inside info about how the dealers operate. They hide two mobile phones and a charger up their bottoms.
e2a: Don't miss today's SLP! Their account of the raid has valuable inside info about how the dealers operate. They hide two mobile phones and a charger up their bottoms.
Treacle Toes
Time
Not even sure goatse could manage that to be fair! 
London_Calling
Pleasant and unpatronising
Brings a whole new meaning to 'ring tone'.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
When I rang him today he told me he was really moved when he discovered that.
My husband and I have been buying cigs, diet coke, etc from the House of Bottles for 5 years. Tony is a brilliant member of the community-always nice with a kind chat about my day or something in the news. I sometimes come back from work quite late (11pm) and he is always actively trying to police the people outside his shop. I’ve also seen him intervene in fights that originated in the Albert or just across the street, having absolutely nothing to do with his own concerns. We’ve both witnessed him trying to throw people-off-their-face or being disruptive out of the shop and the pavement. When the crack-heads or potheads come into the shop he kicks them out and doesn’t take any guff. We’ve both witnessed him refusing to serve drunks or assholes. I can’t imagine how hard it is to run a shop on the feral nights in Brixton!
What I don’t understand is everyone in Brixton knows that in front of KFC and along the high street there are people openly selling drugs –how could you not-on the pavement and these businesses were not closed but the House of Bottles was. We’ve many a time witnessed Tony and the rest of the staff trying their best with the situation at hand to be pleasant but with the “what are you bloody doing, you bastards” tone. Frankly, a police patrol down Coldharbour every hour would sort a lot of the problem.
What I don’t understand is everyone in Brixton knows that in front of KFC and along the high street there are people openly selling drugs –how could you not-on the pavement and these businesses were not closed but the House of Bottles was. We’ve many a time witnessed Tony and the rest of the staff trying their best with the situation at hand to be pleasant but with the “what are you bloody doing, you bastards” tone. Frankly, a police patrol down Coldharbour every hour would sort a lot of the problem.
i'mnotsofast
Well-Known Member
South London Press says the figure the police gave for the value of the weekly street trade was £20,000, total, split between about 17 dealers. Half of this would be profit. So they'd make about £500-£600 a week each.
The Sun just made shit up, as usual.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
Doesn't mean he has to lose his licence. He's a good man trying to make a living. His biggest problem is the recess that hides people who are a pain in the arse. To be honest, I use House of Bottles more than I use the Albert. Cigarettes, my favourite juice that he got specially, brands of alcohol not available in supermarkets or pubs (good things, not gut-rot). He even tried really hard to get me a drink only available in France or really posh expensive places in the centre of Town.
editor
hiraethified
That's not really the point. I'm just making a general point about the wisdom of having a late night off licence inches away from a pub. It's really not a good idea, IMO.
I've signed Tony's petition so it's nothing against him.
Blagsta
Minimum cage, maximum cage
I don't believe those figures either. I don't know much about the workings of the drug trade in Brixton, but I do know a little about how it works in Soho. The guys in the street are usually users themselves, funding a habit, not earning much cash. The people making the real money don't ply their wares on the street. You contact them by phone and arrange to meet. I wouldn't imagine Brixton is much different.
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
Surely 28 days closure for House of Bottles will do nothing to sort out dealing on CHL - if the shop is closed that recess will be even less supervised. 
The problem is the infamous recess, not the shop. It has to be possible to vary the planning rules and agree to a shopfront extension for the ground floor of House of Bottles - so that it lines up with the front of Binal's Newsagents next door. (AFAIK the current building line relates to some abandoned 1920s road widening plan.) Obviously any extension would need to be carefully designed on the side by the Albert to avoid creating a new recess there. (possibly a curved frontage?)
The sightlines for CCTV would also be helped if the various boxes and signs projecting from Binal's shopfront were removed/relocated.
I can't imagine Gyoza's large projecting sign helps either?
The problem is the infamous recess, not the shop. It has to be possible to vary the planning rules and agree to a shopfront extension for the ground floor of House of Bottles - so that it lines up with the front of Binal's Newsagents next door. (AFAIK the current building line relates to some abandoned 1920s road widening plan.) Obviously any extension would need to be carefully designed on the side by the Albert to avoid creating a new recess there. (possibly a curved frontage?)
The sightlines for CCTV would also be helped if the various boxes and signs projecting from Binal's shopfront were removed/relocated.
I can't imagine Gyoza's large projecting sign helps either?
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
I can't help feeling that this is a stitch-up. It isn't actually illegal to sell alcohol. I've seen him refusing to serve people that look a bit young for alcohol & cigarettes. If Lambeth don't want alcohol sold there they should have opposed an alcohol licence in the first place. They are destroying a man's livelihood and I think it stinks.
Maybe I'm missing the point, but why is it awful to have an off licence next to a pub? A pub's just a off licence with 'on' sales inside in essence. Given the amount of licensed premises on that stretch the fact it's next door rather than a few short steps away doesn't concern me greatly
I really feel for Tony. He manages to run that shop firmly and in good humour - in that place the fact that it feels welcoming and safe is no mean feat. He deserves so much better.
I really feel for Tony. He manages to run that shop firmly and in good humour - in that place the fact that it feels welcoming and safe is no mean feat. He deserves so much better.
bluestreak
HomosexualityIsStalin’sAtomBombtoDestroyAmerica
What fucking cunts. Another reason to fucking hate the forces of order in this fucking borough. What is their reasoning? I'm going to see what I can find out.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
Agree with all of this, plus Tony is a one-man-band and the pub is owned by a big powerful chain. I suspect the reason that Tony is being given a hard time is that he hasn't got corporate lawyers behind him. If something similar had happened to the Albert the full force of highly paid lawyers would swing into action. That's why it's important that those who can, attend the meeting at the Town Hall on Tuesday at 2pm.
FridgeMagnet
Administrator
I'm not a local but I've been into that shop quite a few times when I've been in the area, and always felt that the people there were very good, certainly given the stress of having a whole load of twats hanging around outside at all hours. Agree with tarannau that it felt welcoming and safe - well, you know, as much as a shop where you're just going to buy fags will ever be, but for that minute or two it was noticeable.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
I believe so.
colacubes
Mr Hot Cookie
editor
hiraethified
I'm not quite sure why you're bringing the Albert into this.
Tony enjoys considerable support from its patrons and there's a petition supporting him going around the pub.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
I was just using the example of how Tony is a small businessman, without the backing of a company, he needs all the support he can get.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
...and you mentioned the pub first, albeit obliquely, but in a bit of a random way that might be regarded as not particularly supportive, in a way that made me think, what's he saying that for?
I know this wasn't your intention as you've signed the petition.
It just goes to show that without voice tone and body-language, written sentences can be misinterpreted.
I know this wasn't your intention as you've signed the petition.
It just goes to show that without voice tone and body-language, written sentences can be misinterpreted.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
Which I think is primarily due to the hidey hole caused by the recessed frontage. The dealers and junkies, I mean.
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
It's JAMES TOOHILL, not Roger.
