Why do you like Brixton?

[tarannau]

BTW, after working in Camden for over 5 years, I'd strongly disagree with the notion that Camden is very similar to Brixton.

Camden's always struck me as far more divided and segmented - estates are far more tucked off and demarcated from the posh strips of housing. The Inverness Street market's primarily an overpriced joke serving the office crowd, there are far more novelty shops than ones for the local community. The bars generally suck arse badly and there are very few late night venues, drinking joints or parties. And at the weekends the whole area becomes a Disneyland style zone, sucking in middle-class kids and tourists from all around to give them a taste of 'alternative culture' (ie their goth/trancekid gubbins)

There is a salutary lesson for Brixton in Camden though. Even in the last 10 years local shops and cafes have been decimated. Parkway has almost entirely changed - a sea of Starbucks, a Gap, plenty of concept bars - from a few years ago. No George and Niki's cafe, no old toy shop, no stationers or old school travel agent. Long standing local businesses have gone, replaced by the chains and supermarkets.

Which kind of underlines the need for everyone nearby to support their local stores as much as possible, rather than taking the easy supermarket options. Brixton market, and all the supporting activity, is perhaps the most important factor in differentiating the area and giving it a sense of community.

 

[fanta]

It's still more liberal and mixed than 99% of London

This just isn't true.

Or if it is true can it be proved?

Brixton is no more liberal or mixed than Peckham, Deptford, Walworth, Hackney or any other similar London area.

There is nothing sooooo special* about the place.

Why do people persist with this romantic myth?




(*but I do like the market, have I already said that?)

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Ian w, you hit the nail totally on the head by saying that Brixton is pretty self-contained: it has pretty much everything you need (except perhaps a decent secondary school). I've lived in a few shit places in London like Forest Gate and the Elephant where I was born, but this is the only place that actually feels like home. And seeing as I am in love with a Brixton girl, I can't really leave the place! (all together now "Awwwwwwwwwwww....")

There is nothing sooooo special* about the place.

I don't agree - I think there is something special. There is to me anyway.... we don't have to agree!

 

[fanta]

What is it then that can only be found in Brixton and no where else in London?

 

[Rollem]

1st time I agree with hatman

me too (not the first time though)

brixton is still a geat place to go out and meet up with friends, but it seems to have lost that spark that i first found to be there years ago. cant really explain it, just seems a bit samey/predictable now, but maybe thats just down to me od-ing on the place

still love the market and the park though, that will never change (hopefully!)

 

[PacificOcean]

What is it then that can only be found in Brixton and no where else in London?

Brixton tube station.

 

[Streathamite]

This just isn't true.

Or if it is true can it be proved?

Brixton is no more liberal or mixed than Peckham, Deptford, Walworth, Hackney or any other similar London area.

There is nothing sooooo special* about the place.

Why do people persist with this romantic myth?




(*but I do like the market, have I already said that?)

Brixton is - easily - as mixed as all those places, and more mixed than both Walworth or Deptford. I've also always found it more liberal than any of those you cited, bar (possibly) Hackney. Reactionary, bigotted bollox like I've heard all over S E London I simply don't think you'd get in Brixton.
And I really DO feel there's something special about the place. It's hard to articulate it - but I've never felt an outsider here, for one. people don't judge you, IME

 

[fanta]

Brixton tube station.

Aye, you're right there I suppose...

 

[tarannau]

This just isn't true.

Or if it is true can it be proved?

Brixton is no more liberal or mixed than Peckham, Deptford, Walworth, Hackney or any other similar London area.

There is nothing sooooo special* about the place.

Why do people persist with this romantic myth?




(*but I do like the market, have I already said that?)

Try and find some casereepp, wiri-wiri or (non-bammy) cassava bread in anywhere other than Brixton

Try and find a long-running gay night in Deptford or Walworth.

Try and get home from Hackney easily late night. Or a decent record shop that sells a mix of music.


OK, some reductive examples I know, but it's a start. Even though Brixton may no longer be unique in terms of racial or social make up (suburbanisation rather than ghettoisation) it still has an established/mature range of services and shops that, as a whole, can't be matched. I know plenty of folk who live in Peckham/Camberwell for example, but still socialise and shop primarily in Brixton.

It's not a romantic myth, more an acceptance that Brixton has a proud and diverse history and, imo at least, remains a place where many of us identify most strongly with. Maybe it's an emotional pull, but it's a feeling of involvement and community nonetheless.

 

[dum dum]

Try and find some casereepp, wiri-wiri or (non-bammy) cassava bread in anywhere other than Brixton

Try and find a long-running gay night in Deptford or Walworth.

Try and get home from Hackney easily late night. Or a decent record shop that sells a mix of music.

Don't forget the best bicycle shop/co-op in London !!!!

Basement Joes is tip top for food

Some o them Brixton based web sites are no n too shabby n'all

 

[Streathamite]

It's not a romantic myth, more an acceptance that Brixton has a proud and diverse history and, imo at least, remains a place where many of us identify most strongly with. Maybe it's an emotional pull, but it's a feeling of involvement and community nonetheless.

-and that, I guess, is what I wanted to say earlier!

 

[zippy]

What I like most is that it has so many treasures, not so obvious or easy to find places, hidden down some intimidating side alley or a bit of a walk away from the high street. It seemed that every few months, when I first moved to Brixton, I would stumble upon some great bar or pub. Brixton has remained interesting and vibrant because it doesn’t give its secrets away to quickly or easily.

 

[William of Walworth]

I sense a need to defend Walworth here but actually I agree with tarranau really.

 

[hendo]

\ Brixton has remained interesting and vibrant because it doesn’t give its secrets away to quickly or easily.

I'd agree with this, and also applaud what Tarannau has had to say.

Would also argue that the people here are special; would never have dreamed of having the friends I've got four years ago - before I'd lived here.

Also feel that Brixton is a fairly safe place when you get to know it; another way in which it confounds the stereotype.

 

[clandestino]

why is brixton special? because people like tarannau can post so articulately and inspiringly in its defence.

i'd also agree with hendo that it's not as dangerous as many make out. yes we have drug crime/violent crime (just look at what happened to the editor), but i've found that, generally, if you keep yourself to yourself and use the common sense that we've all picked up as part of city life, you'll be fine.

touch wood for us all.

 

[clandestino]

oh and...

the fact that u75 is based here says a lot, i think. just the existence of this very forum makes it special.

 

[sonicdancer]

The geography of Brixton, especially around Brixton hill, tulse hill reminds me of my home town Torquay. The road width , the mature trees growing up at intervals and the slanty hilly streets. (love walking up hills) the Victorian houses. Closest Ive found in London to Torquay.

 

[Pie 1]

I was up early this morning & around 6.45ish, walked up Atlantic Rd as the sun tipped over the railway & illuminated the arches & allyways & not a soul was around for a couple of minutes. Stopped me dead. It was so beautiful & I thought of the title of this thread.

 

[fanta]

I remain sceptical that there is a special, elusive almost mystical 'something' peculiar to Brixton and no where else in London.

I take your point about food tarannau - I've already expressed how impressed I am with the market and the sheer diversity of food available. In fact I'd say Brixton Market is as good and in some ways better than Borough market.

(I know I'm begining to sound like I'm obsessed with it!)

 

[Errol's son]

Peckham nearly has it all, and a lot more - it just lacks a lido.

I think I may have said this before, but...

I like Brixton because it's self-contained and self-sufficiant. If we were our own town unconnected to London, we'd be fine. We have everything you need.

A town hall. A train station. A tube station. A recreational centre (including indoor swimming pool). A cinema. Two major concert venues. One brilliant pub live venue. Several other clubs and pubs that put on a huge range of musical genres. A major supermarket and several smaller supermarket branches. A market, where you can buy pretty much any kind of food you want. Loads of restaurants, loads of pubs. Brockwell park. The lido. A library.

Fill all that with all manner of creative folk and you have a truly vibrant area.

You can buy skunk anywhere in London. But nowhere else has all of the above. (A pub conversation once tried to find all of these things in other areas in London and the nearest we came was Shepherd's Bush.)

 

[zippy]

I also think Brixton confounds the stereotype. Do you remember when that macintyre fellow, or whatever his name is, did that: isn't ‘brixton rough’ special? He plastered on a goatee and walked around late at night waving an expensive mobile and laptop under peoples noses. Instead of mugging him everyone he met kept telling him to be careful! When he finally did manage to provoke someone into robbing him - after boring the guy stupid for about an hour - I am a sure it was because it was the only way he could get rid of the blithering idiot.

 

[clandestino]

Peckham nearly has it all, and a lot more - it just lacks a lido.

Major concert venue? Pub concert venue? (and I don't mean somewhere where pub rock bands play every so often, but a place where a dedicated promoter puts on new music). Tube station?



Where do you live fanta?

 

[suzee blue cheese]

there's no attitude, no snobbery

Aw Jezz - there's plenty of both in Brixton.

I too love the markets. I love the Ritzy though it's become very expensive. I love the fact that we have a Lido, and a Recreation Centre and a park which hosts free community events such as the Country Fair. I love it that when I go out onto the High Street or into a bar, chances are I'll run into someone I know and that makes it feel like home. I've lived in Brixton for longer than I've lived in any one place my whole life. However, I think the closure of so many adult educational facilities has been a detrimental move.

 

[han]

We've only lived here for 4 years but I feel more settled and at home here than anywhere else I've lived.

It's the combination of a really diverse community, lots of friends within walking distance, ease of getting into central London (and all that has to offer), and the unique self-contained nature of Brixton that I like. As Tarannau has said, the rich-poor divide isn't so marked as in other bits of London - everyone's all mixed up in the same streets.

It's not as edgy and 'thrilling' as I used to find it 10 years ago when visiting as a youngster , but tbh I think that's a good thing in many ways.

 

[fanta]

Where do you live fanta?

Off Coldharbour Lane near Loughborough Junction.

 

[hatboy]

I feel there's more division between rich and poor all over London and it is bad here too. I also feel regarding "edgy" that much alternative culture and people (and just ordinary, poorer people/Londoners) here have gone but that danger is worse because people are more polarised and there is more resentment.

But the worst thing about the area is still (despite some improvements and the work of a few good people which I appreciate), sadly, Lambeth Council which fails again and again to deliver real improvement at an acceptable rate. They are too slow and often get it wrong anyway.

 

[twistedAM]

Good resturants- pubs could be improved though Brixton has an atmosphere of its own

Restaurants? That's the WEAK point. Not one of Brixton's restaurants (bar Khans and perhaps Bah Humbug which I think has the edge over Joanna's but not Numidie) would survive in Crystal Palace (which admittedly hasn't got much else to it except for a dozen decent places to eat)

Pubs are thin on the ground but not that bad compared to many other locales.

 

[clandestino]

mmmm, fujiyama...

 

[Errol's son]

Restaurants? That's the WEAK point. Not one of Brixton's restaurants (bar Khans and perhaps Bah Humbug which I think has the edge over Joanna's but not Numidie) would survive in Crystal Palace (which admittedly hasn't got much else to it except for a dozen decent places to eat)

Pubs are thin on the ground but not that bad compared to many other locales.

I like the Eritrean place on Coldharbour although I've never eaten in there sober!

 

[twistedAM]

mmmm, fujiyama...

naw...it's not bad but CP trumps it 3 maybe 4 times in that arena. At least the service seems OK there which is my major grumble with Brixton "restaurants". Actually I can;t comment on A666 as I just wouldn't choose to eat in something that looks like an IKEA showroom - I'm kinda fussy about that and am not used to bright lights.

I like Cafe On The Hill though. Good solid bubble and squeak which I've enjoyed twice so far this week.