Protect Peckham's Future: art deco, cultural economy, & more

[Eileen]

There will be a community celebration and discussion about Peckham?s old heritage and recent history on Wednesday 8th April in the Bussey building off Rye Lane. If you are interested in any one or more of the art deco cluster of buildings, the emergence of the new cultural economy, the growing abundance of arts, music, and other creative enterprises, the gradually responding commerce, and community action over the last 10 years, this event is for you. See: http://goo.gl/no8rwD

What?s happening? How do they all fit? Where are they going? Can anyone have any influence? The exhibition is open from 3pm, and the community meeting 6.30pm-9pm. The event spans two large studios joining for one exhibition the rich variety of Peckham?s renaissance. Come and take part! More info will be updated over next week here: http://goo.gl/no8rwD. Keep in contact.

[edhistory]

Peckham is fortunate in having that compact cluster of seven srt deco buildings of national importance.

John K

[PeckhamRose]

What am I missing? The photo attached is not of the Bussey Building.

[healey]

There are some good examples with preserving, but the one in front of the station does need to go.

[Eileen]

PeckhamRose Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> What am I missing? The photo attached is not of

> the Bussey Building.

Why would you expect the Bussey? It isn't art deco / 1930s. There are seven buildings in a cluster. You can see them in the poster here: http://www.peckhamvision.org/wiki/Art_Deco_Quarter#The_Art_Deco_cluster.2Fquarter. There are a few remaining in other parts of the town centre, but these seven are clustered together around the station.

[Eileen]

More info now here https://www.facebook.com/events/394931794020114/permalink/395626560617304/ about the community event on Wed 8th April. This is a joint event between Peckham Vision and the CLF http://www.clfartcafe.org which has made the front third of the huge Bussey Victorian factory a hub of creativity across music, theatre, arts, crafts and more. This is a longstanding collaboration born in the campaign to save the site from what the Planning Inspector called in 2006 a ?defective decision? to demolish the site for the tram depot. But it took another three years to get the decision reversed. Come and contribute to the community discussion 6.30pm ? 9pm at the Bussey building Wed 8th April about the other matters needing collective community action to protect our neighbourhood.

[indiepanda]

I am a big fan of art deco buildings - but it looks to me as if to restore these to their former glory would cost a fortune.

I don't know what the ownership status is of them at present, but if they are owned by the occupiers, I somehow doubt they could afford it, and if the current businesses in those spaces don't own them, I doubt many would be able to afford the increased rents post restoration. But perhaps I've missed something and there is a way of having both.

[Eileen]

indiepanda Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I am a big fan of art deco buildings - but it

> looks to me as if to restore these to their former

> glory would cost a fortune.

>

> I don't know what the ownership status is of them

> at present, but if they are owned by the

> occupiers, I somehow doubt they could afford it,

> and if the current businesses in those spaces

> don't own them, I doubt many would be able to

> afford the increased rents post restoration. But

> perhaps I've missed something and there is a way

> of having both.

One has already been restored in the last two years by collaboration between the long leaseholder and the current business operators. This is the one housing the Peckham Refreshment Rooms and 4 other businesses. The block next to it has not been restored and so is a useful comparison of the before and after. The Council now know all the leaseholders and tenants. Few if any are owned by the occupiers, but it was the occupiers who shared the cost for the restored block. The restored one is not going to be demolished. But the one next to it on the corner of Blenheim Grove and its mirror image on the corner of Holly Grove is being considered for demolition. The options are: restore OR refurbish and extend upwards OR demolish and rebuild. The previous scheme had the replacement buildings at 6 or 7 storeys.

[spider69]

I was under the impression that the buildings fronting the station were to be pulled down, opening up the whole area into a useable and people friendly square.

The concrete mass should be pulled down. Dark and very depressing.

In fact the whole block area should have been pulled down.

[keekybreeks]

I am interestyed to find out more about the cultural economy you talk about- is there not a cultural economy extant at the minute ? or is it the wrong type of cultural economy?

[PeckhamRose]

keekybreeks given the offensive comment you made on the lido page about Peckham Vision, I would not be surprised if you do not get a reply to this.

[fortified]

Indeed, keeky. I was thinking the same thing as I exited the station onto Rye Lane on Thursday evening. The economy seemed to be thriving, with plenty of businesses serving the community.

Cynically, I take 'new cultural economy' to be a euphemism for hipsters as conduit for gentrification.

[keekybreeks]

PeckhamRose Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> keekybreeks given the offensive comment you made

> on the lido page about Peckham Vision, I would not

> be surprised if you do not get a reply to this.

Im sure the peckham visionaries will be able to decide whether it is worthy of a response.

[keekybreeks]

.

[KidKruger]

If they didn't change Rye Lane around the station I'd be sorted, it does the job fine already IMO.

The people working in that area and with livelihoods there are surely not trying to change it.

It seems like greed is the driver for change.

'Culture' ?

[Quintessential]

The cynic in me would conclude that the interested parties (particularly landlords and council) would prefer to go ahead with a social cleansing of the station front in order to excel gentrification of Peckham.

[KidKruger]

That's it.

Now that 2-bed flats are half a million, all that's needed is to remove the existing Rye Lane independents (who actually serve the current community) by doubling rents, replacing them with coffee houses, vinyl/pie n mash combos, franchises and estate agents.

[richard tudor]

The existing independents have not done much to improve the area. It is still a sh.thole.

It they depend on rock bottom rates they are not viable.

I thought the idea was to open I up the station area into a pleasant space. Most European cities have a market square but I suppose it would be to much to expect the same here.

[KidKruger]

It's been this way for decades and seems to function well. Why assume that having a business in the area obliges you to keep the white boy's insecurities covered by changing your surroundings to suit what he wants ?

Other peoples' perceptions, especially of those not using the facilities as they stand, are what seem to be the 'requirement' to sterilise the area. If it ain't their style they should go elsewhere, London's big enough innit.

Peckham ain't no city. If you want a 'city' square, try Trafalgar. If you want a 'city' market, try Portobello or Spitalfields.

There's a lot of people happy shopping in the 'shithole', check it out - it's rammed 7 days !!

A contended (and proud) 'shithole' shopper.

[Quintessential]

richard tudor Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The existing independents have not done much to

> improve the area. It is still a sh.thole.

>

> It they depend on rock bottom rates they are not

> viable.

>

>

the existing folk provide a great service to the community offering goods and services they would struggle to find elsewhere. Your version of a sh.thole is another's paradise. The rates are low but it retains the vibrancy and unlike many bland london high street's it has flavour and vibrancy.

[richard tudor]

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It's been this way for decades and seems to

> function well. Why assume that having a business

> in the area obliges you to keep the white boy's

> insecurities covered by changing your surroundings

> to suit what he wants ?

> Other peoples' perceptions, especially of those

> not using the facilities as they stand, are what

> seem to be the 'requirement' to sterilise the

> area. If it ain't their style they should go

> elsewhere, London's big enough innit.

> Peckham ain't no city. If you want a 'city'

> square, try Trafalgar. If you want a 'city'

> market, try Portobello or Spitalfields.

> There's a lot of people happy shopping in the

> 'shithole', check it out - it's rammed 7 days !!

>

> A contended (and proud) 'shithole' shopper.

I also use the shithole and have done for most of my life.

I would like to see it improve.

[KidKruger]

'improve'.

'sh.thole is another's paradise'.

[richard tudor]

Says it all

[KidKruger]

If you want a boring predictable safe sterilised high st try Lordship Lane, how can you have wasted a whole life shopping in a 'shithole' when what you were looking for is a mile away ?! lol

[Quintessential]

It feels horrible for my family because as a kid it was great to have a taste of home on the doorstep lots of goods and ingredients we as a family would have had to travel many miles to find elsewhere in london. Peckham has morrisons, asda and tesco already and I don't see why people who contribute to the local economy are looked down upon in this way like they are a disease that needs flushing out. Why can there not be space for everyone? I never judge other people and the places they choose to shop why is it the people who encourage thriving indepedent business in Peckham are seen in such a negative way?