The dullest, blandest shop in Brixton
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Great piece of urban design: a building you can put dents in.hatboy said:
I'd be more cynical, if anything. Can anyone cite one little shred of evidence of the council supporting local businesses and market traders?
IntoStella said:Great piece of urban design: a building you can put dents in.
I'd be more cynical, if anything. Can anyone cite one little shred of evidence of the council supporting local businesses and market traders?
The council spends lavish amounts of money on 'Town Centre Managers' who lead teams of people who are supposed to help local businesses. They hand out shop front grants etc. Not convinced they actually get anything done. In Norwood, for example, the long term decline in the high street just continues for economic reasons and no shop front grant is going to stop it.
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
I hear murmurs from Town Hall sources that Lambeth might actually employ some proper business development workers, having realised that the misleadingly titled "Town Centre Managers" are running around dealing with 57 regeneration strategies and initiatives, and unable to do any town centre management as the term is generally understood in the retailing world.
However, seems unlikely to materialise until 2005-06 - if it gets through the "star chamber" scrutiny process for weeding out bids for extra money.
However, seems unlikely to materialise until 2005-06 - if it gets through the "star chamber" scrutiny process for weeding out bids for extra money.
PacificOcean
Unhinged User
jæd said:I thought Enya just made those swishy nyargh-nyarg-nyou songs...?
She makes ambient soundscapes.
I meant rocks as in is very good, rather than the tradional guitar-based rock type affair.
johnniebutterfl
New Member
I think you're forgetting the ubiquitous Nail Barsgaijingirl said:I don't understand why we have so many crap trainer shops and mobile phone shops....... how many bloody pairs of trainers and mobile phones does a person need???????
Can this collectively mean that gentrification is not as far advanced as so many Brixton 75'ers seem to fear?
hipipol
Peckham Wry
suzee blue cheese posting as hipipol:
Isn't that the nature of trainers though..
Imo we're poorly served by shops in Brixton. Yes we have the market and all the food stuff but apart from that unless you do want your nails done or buy sportswear or phones or cheap shoes or tack from lacklustre pound shops (of which the High Street has at least two) then you have to go out of Brixton to shop.
Robills on the other hand was a pound shop par excellence and always worth a good browse.
With few exceptions, the common denominator in Brixton is 'cheap'. Whether it's actually cheap or just cheap goods at high street prices. When faced with buying clothes or presents for peeps, I always check out Brixton first, as it's good to support local business and I hate going uptown, but usually end up getting something elsewhere.
Having said all this Brixton is far better than my home town which is full of charity shops selling stretched and bobbled New Look.
Isn't that the nature of trainers though..
Imo we're poorly served by shops in Brixton. Yes we have the market and all the food stuff but apart from that unless you do want your nails done or buy sportswear or phones or cheap shoes or tack from lacklustre pound shops (of which the High Street has at least two) then you have to go out of Brixton to shop.
Robills on the other hand was a pound shop par excellence and always worth a good browse.
With few exceptions, the common denominator in Brixton is 'cheap'. Whether it's actually cheap or just cheap goods at high street prices. When faced with buying clothes or presents for peeps, I always check out Brixton first, as it's good to support local business and I hate going uptown, but usually end up getting something elsewhere.
Having said all this Brixton is far better than my home town which is full of charity shops selling stretched and bobbled New Look.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
I agree with what a few posters have said about Dalston.A friend of mine from Brixton worked their for a while and said the shops were as interesting as Brixtons used to be a few years back.
I also think that despite having "Brand" shops like Vodaphone the range they sell is pretty crap compared to the West End.That goes for clothes as well.I never buy jeans in Brixton for example.
Their are (dare I say it) affordable designer brands with a better range than you get in Brixton-like H&M,Mango etc.If the Brixton main road is going to have stores it might as well have good ones.Historically the main road has always been for department stores.M&S store has been their for years.
How the Arcades & market -where the cheaper and more varied range of goods are available -should be retained is the important issue.
I think the dullest blandest shop is now Woolies.It used to be OK and then they ruined it.
I also think that despite having "Brand" shops like Vodaphone the range they sell is pretty crap compared to the West End.That goes for clothes as well.I never buy jeans in Brixton for example.
Their are (dare I say it) affordable designer brands with a better range than you get in Brixton-like H&M,Mango etc.If the Brixton main road is going to have stores it might as well have good ones.Historically the main road has always been for department stores.M&S store has been their for years.
How the Arcades & market -where the cheaper and more varied range of goods are available -should be retained is the important issue.
I think the dullest blandest shop is now Woolies.It used to be OK and then they ruined it.
Oh yeah, I just remembered. Somebody had eloquently expressed what they thought of Argos on Sunday. They had done a big poo in the doorway. 
PacificOcean
Unhinged User
IntoStella said:Oh yeah, I just remembered. Somebody had eloquently expressed what they thought of Argos on Sunday. They had done a big poo in the doorway.
I know I live here, but Brixton is so fucking scuzzy. Where else would that sort of thing happen?
I saw a bloke having a piss up my wall this morning. Broad daylight. Just standing there pissing away (on the road, not round the back even)
editor
hiraethified
That's a near-hourly event in front of my block!PacificOcean said:I saw a bloke having a piss up my wall this morning. Broad daylight. Just standing there pissing away (on the road, not round the back even)
If it's not drunks pissing in full view of the block by the fucking hideous billboard hoarding, it's junkies doing one - or all - of the following:
1. rummaging around in hedgerows
2. having a piss under the tree
3. having a piss in the hedge
4. having a shit under the tree
5. having a shit in the hedge
6. Injecting in the hedge
7. Leaving needles in the hedge
8. Leaving needles by the path.
Joy!
Minnie_the_Minx
someinenhhanding menbag and me ah bollox
editor said:That's a near-hourly event in front of my block!
If it's not drunks pissing in full view of the block by the fucking hideous billboard hoarding, it's junkies doing one - or all - of the following:
1. rummaging around in hedgerows
2. having a piss under the tree
3. having a piss in the hedge
4. having a shit under the tree
5. having a shit in the hedge
6. Injecting in the hedge
7. Leaving needles in the hedge
8. Leaving needles by the path.
Joy!
Not all at the same time I hope?
Mrs Magpie
On a bit of break...
I saw someone (very elderly and very possibly senile) do that in the aisle in Tescos a few years ago........IntoStella said:Oh yeah, I just remembered. Somebody had eloquently expressed what they thought of Argos on Sunday. They had done a big poo in the doorway.
innit
c'mon, little life giver
PacificOcean said:I know I live here, but Brixton is so fucking scuzzy. Where else would that sort of thing happen?
I once saw an old lady having a poo in a bus stop on Camden High Street
To be fair to her, I think she actually lived in that bus stop. But even so.
Brixton Hatter
Home is south London mate
Sorry, but I love Woolies! You can buy almost anything in there, from kids clothes and DVD players, to picture frames and saucepans. It must be one of the most popular shops in Brixton.Gramsci said:
Robills I miss terribly
Miss Orbit
Spinning into control
I miss Robills but a sufficiently Brixtonised Woollies is a pleasing substitute, imo... I especially adore the aisle apparently full of random items from the Innovations catalogue: nuclear cleaning agents in tubs, things for grilling things, dusting gadgets, silicon gel bra-inserts, etc.
Who said there weren't any pound shops on Brixton High St? I can think of two within coo-eee of the tube and there's probably more than that. If you want bush meat and huge vats of corn oil, simply step around the corner to the market or Atlantic Road. Tsk.
What's this wierd inverted snobbery about esoteric niche businesses anyway? Dalston High St's alright for a Turkish coffee and a laugh at the hilariously PhotoShopped family portraits, but I wouldn't want to rely on it for fresh food, underwear or emergency greetings cards. Brixton's got everything - you can make choices about where you shop, and you should.
Re. the council's policy of "supporting small businesses" - I used to work for Brixton TCM, so let me dredge up what the line was then from the dark recesses...
Ok, got it... The idea is that bringing in High St retailers encourages customers to shop locally that might otherwise jump on a bus to Croydon or the West End. These businesses are supposed to employ local people, and do so in larger numbers than your average family-run bush-meat emporium. Basically, the little shop-owners just have to battle it out to stay in business, but realistically, they are competing with each other, not M&S or even Iceland, b/c these are pitching to a different customer anyway. Apparently Brixton ground rents are very high, but this is down to freeholders, not the council & I don't know if there's anything the council can do to control that...
Who said there weren't any pound shops on Brixton High St? I can think of two within coo-eee of the tube and there's probably more than that. If you want bush meat and huge vats of corn oil, simply step around the corner to the market or Atlantic Road. Tsk.
What's this wierd inverted snobbery about esoteric niche businesses anyway? Dalston High St's alright for a Turkish coffee and a laugh at the hilariously PhotoShopped family portraits, but I wouldn't want to rely on it for fresh food, underwear or emergency greetings cards. Brixton's got everything - you can make choices about where you shop, and you should.
Re. the council's policy of "supporting small businesses" - I used to work for Brixton TCM, so let me dredge up what the line was then from the dark recesses...
Ok, got it... The idea is that bringing in High St retailers encourages customers to shop locally that might otherwise jump on a bus to Croydon or the West End. These businesses are supposed to employ local people, and do so in larger numbers than your average family-run bush-meat emporium. Basically, the little shop-owners just have to battle it out to stay in business, but realistically, they are competing with each other, not M&S or even Iceland, b/c these are pitching to a different customer anyway. Apparently Brixton ground rents are very high, but this is down to freeholders, not the council & I don't know if there's anything the council can do to control that...
Minnie_the_Minx
someinenhhanding menbag and me ah bollox
academia said:
Had a look yesterday, it's in the middle of a refurb and downstairs is already open. It's now called Force Homecare (I think)
A daring departure from its 'old' name, which was...Minnie_the_Minx said:
...Force Homecare.
Minnie_the_Minx
someinenhhanding menbag and me ah bollox
IntoStella said:A daring departure from its 'old' name, which was...
...Force Homecare.
Ah yes, but the logo's changed and it's actually 4orce Homecare (well that's what it looks like)
And it's not blue and whatever colour it was before either My favourite shops:
Homeforce
Coldharbour Lane Newspapershop (next to Albert)
House of Bottles
Frontline off Licence
Shop in tube station
The Hardware shop Homeforce - my favourite brixton shop - gave me a discount the other day. On a circuar saw blade priced £37. They offered it to me for £20 but i talked them up to £27. Class huh. I am very proud of meeting generousity with generousity but stevie my partner thinks i lack fiscal sense.
Also on a similar note the shop on the tube station. Lovely people. Yesterday I said that 'as usual was a pleasure doing busines' and today the lady returned my compliment. Isnt life wonderful.
Just wonderful.
Hope you all have a day as beautiful as you are you beautiful people you
Homeforce
Coldharbour Lane Newspapershop (next to Albert)
House of Bottles
Frontline off Licence
Shop in tube station
The Hardware shop Homeforce - my favourite brixton shop - gave me a discount the other day. On a circuar saw blade priced £37. They offered it to me for £20 but i talked them up to £27. Class huh. I am very proud of meeting generousity with generousity but stevie my partner thinks i lack fiscal sense.
Also on a similar note the shop on the tube station. Lovely people. Yesterday I said that 'as usual was a pleasure doing busines' and today the lady returned my compliment. Isnt life wonderful.
Just wonderful.
Hope you all have a day as beautiful as you are you beautiful people you
Minnie_the_Minx
someinenhhanding menbag and me ah bollox
rascal said:
What a nice thought to get on the tube with (I'm sure when I actually get to Victoria Station I'll change my mind)
Goodnight
Horse Homecare? Not much call for that in Brixton except at the copshop stables.Minnie_the_Minx said:
Anyway, shouldn't it be 4ce?
