Reclaim Brixton

[Jeremy]

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/thousands-set-to-attend-reclaim-brixton-rally-as-campaigners-protest-against-gentrification-10158208.html

Not totally sure how I feel about this.

On one hand the negative side of gentrification is obvious, people feeling disengaged/disenfranchised from the community, renters and businesses being priced out of the area, etc. I appreciate the history of the area... but on the other hand, places change, people move around. It happens.

From a more self-centred angle... the area has lost a lot of its edginess which made it a destination for me and my mates back in the late 90s/early 2000s, but I'm not 21 any more, and I personally quite like the way the area has developed.

[Otta]

I was reading about this yesterday. I totally sympathise with those that feel they're being alienated from their home, and I definitely am against the development around the arches.

But there are plenty of comments from people (including young people) who say they grew up there and much prefer it now.

I think with gentrification there is always a line where it goes too far.

What I really don't like it gentrification on a large scale involving developers. That's when people start to feel like social cleansing is at play.

But stopping an area feeling dangerous after dark is never a bad thing.

[Jeremy]

The area feels a lot safer now, that's for sure. Being hassled for cash was part and parcel of a night out in Brixton in 98. And of course you could buy drugs quite openly.. which seemed great at the time, but probably not so desirable if you live round the corner.

I really like what's happened in the market - but I can understand locals feeling that it's not really catering to them (see Jay Rayner's scathing review of the hipster fried chicken place).

As for redeveloping the arches, it seems rather unnecessary, and opportunisitic money grabbing by Network Rail. (and looks like the same might be happening in Peckham). Nobody likes seeing local businesses being booted out.

[Otta]

My dad worked in the market for years, and whilst it was a bit grimey, it was great, so many cool little shops. I do think that's a loss. But hey, lots of other people would have thought it was a shit hole and will prefer their little bars and stuff.

At the end of the day whatever makes the most money will win out.

[skylorikeet]

It's a tricky one isn't it? My mum used to say Brixton was very posh before the Second World War, her mum used to clean for the big houses. I'm a blow in though, grew up in Islington before that got gentrified).

[DuncanW]

Vincent van Gogh used to live there...

Whether you like it or not - it's pretty hard to stop an area changing economically, in either direction.

The proposed redevelopment of the arches area looks quite shoddy though - isn't it more of a planning issue than a gentrification issue?

[holloway]

sylorikeet, where in Islington did you grow up? I'm originally from the Hornsey/Holloway area. I went back there a few weeks ago for the first time in years and didn't recognise it at all. I thought it had gone downhill unbelievably.

[Jeremy]

It is indeed a tricky one... when you have a city with lots of affluent young-ish people, but nevertheless the traditionally "nice" areas are out of reach for them... gentrification of working class neighbourhoods is inevitable. But at the same time, it isn't right that long term residents and shop keepers are booted out.

[skylorikeet]

holloway I have pm'ed you rather than go off topic but good to know others have crossed the river!

[miga]

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[Jeremy]

I think the gentrification argument has probably been had in all corners of London.. from Notting Hill to Islington to Hackney to Clapham. But I think to some extent Brixton is seen as a special case, in that it's sometimes regarded as the de-facto home of black London (even black Britain).

[miga]

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[BrandNewGuy]

I smiled when I saw the 'Yuppies Out' graffiti a few months ago in Brixton. Just shows you the age and attitude of those objecting to gentrification, as no-one apart from an 80s post-punk class warrior would use such a phrase. And I wonder what the locals thought when the post-punk class warriors moved in in the first place...

[brezzo]

Squatters, anarchists, alternative life stylists are often the harbingers of gentrification, but they are usually loath to acknowledge it.

[malumbu]

Ethnic cleansing.

Look at the change in demographics. It's happened around here.

Elephant will be next.

It was quite exciting when I lived just up the road from Loughborough Junction (still a well dodgy area).

PS you can all clear off back to Clapham/Shoreditch. I'll let you judge whether I am saying this in jest (not sure myself).

[miga]

.

[Otta]

brezzo Wrote:

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> Squatters, anarchists, alternative life stylists

> are often the harbingers of gentrification, but

> they are usually loath to acknowledge it.

That's because they're ashamed that lots of really dull people have moved in trying to bask in their cool light.

ED had a different gentrification, it was never really cool.

[Jeremy]

Otta Wrote:

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> That's because they're ashamed that lots of really

> dull people have moved in trying to bask in their cool light.

TBH most of the squatters and "anarchists" from the 80s/90s have probably become dull, boring conformists themselves.

But yeah a lot of the people who were into Brixton because of it's "edginess" have probably paved the way for its gentrification in some way.

> ED had a different gentrification, it was never really cool.

ED never had nightlife, it was never really a magnet for cool 20-somethings... it was just a reasonably pleasant, affordable neighbourhood in zone 2, and it sprang from there.

[red devil]

Wasn't ED originally a magnet for the acting fraternity, a sort of bohemia lite?...

[Sue]

miga Wrote:

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> I like the idea of a 50+ squatter spray painting

> 80s slogans on walls, but the scenario of that 50+

> person being a marketing executive enjoying a fine

> wine in a nicely renovated Victorian property

> seems more likely somehow.

:)

[MrBen]

Wait....did Jeremy just start a thread?

:-)

[Jeremy]

I think you're imagining things.

[MrBen]

I've always liked Brixton. The thing I miss most is the giant old hand painted London Underground sign that used to be above the tube station...now a modern glass version.

[Seabag]

Why did Louisa leave at this critical point

She could have added some 'blow in' value here

That said, it's been ripe for a swoop like this for years, more a case of when not if

I feel for anyone displaced by wealth and poverty

[DulwichFox]

Funny how people are so up in arms about the Gentrification of Brixton..

whilst at the same accepting the Gentrification of East Dulwich with Open Arms

All the crap myself and Louisa got on the subject.

DulwichFox