Will Communities in Brixton Be Displaced Through Gentrification

2023/4/11 20:55 Will Communities In Brixton Be Displaced Through Gentrification
May 24, 2019June 4, 2019 by Nez Williams - Lambeth Editor
Will Communities In Brixton Be Displaced

Through Gentrification
The Idea of Gentrification and does it help

areas such a Brixton
My idea of Gentrification is when areas like Brixton that has been left neglected for decades,
classed as no go area, high crime rate, high unemployment and lack of housing, yet it has a close
nit community where people can actually afford to shop, rent properties, open small businesses
and youngster grow up being able to stay within the area if they chose to do so, yet suddenly the
area is being renovated, advertised as the best place to live and everything is geared toward a
certain influx of people who are seen as more affluent and rich residents who then begins to out
price and out sourced the area. Ethical/ racial balance also begins to show changes. Household
with lower budget feel neglected and betrayed through the vast development of unaffordable and
very expensive properties being erected all over the area, with businesses closing down due to high
rent so cannot afford to stay after having their businesses for many, many years.
The area is given more publicity to attract and generate more people from middle class and elite
with higher incomes, who then begin to spill over into the communities and set the property
values, renting very expensive and keeps rising dramatically over a period of time.
https://voxradiolambeth.com/2019/05/24/will-communities-in-brixton-be-displaced-through-gentrification/ 1/18
The old Lambeth offices Ivor House in Acre Lane, which has now been converted into luxury apartm
You will also see bigger investors coming into the community and new developments taken part all
over the area that mainly leads to communities being displaced, thereby seeing migration from the
area of those on lower income who cannot afford to stay. Many other areas just like Brixton were
previously, classified as very dangerous, crime ridden and unlivable and not good enough for the
middle class and elite to live, we now see the same people, now suddenly finding the area to be
desirable through only one way that is gentrification that leads to urbanization.
Why has Brixton become the target of Gentrification
Brixton back in 1880 was agriculture land until 1860 and 1880 when the railroad and trams arrived,
it was gentrified in order to attract the rich and wealthy middle class big posh housing was then
built along the major road in order to bring the rich people to Brixton as it was linked via the
Chatham rail main line and in 1888 the first electric lights were built in Brixton in the now know
Electric Avenue surrounded by large expensive houses along main road. There was also a class
divided into class as the middle class and high earner were put in houses around the major roads
and the lower income families were put to live behind railroad and commercial street areas.
This is Electric Avenue in Brixton which was the first street in London to have electric.. Singer Eddy
Brixton started another change in 1925 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brixton#Until_the_mid-

20th_century) when the working class started to replace the middle class and a lot of the big houses
were turned into lower rent boarding houses and flats. Brixton was now attracting more and more
new residents with it cinema, market, theatre, pubs and had become the new shopping capital of
South London, with the their large department stores which are Morley etc and other stores and
major retailers.
Brixton came under fire from the bombing in World War 11 which led to a crucial housing crisis
and decay. The council decided to do a slum clearance and started to build council housing in
1940’s and the 1950’s which saw many immigrants from Ireland and the West Indies moved into
Brixton, many from the Windrush generation.
Windrush square opposite the Ritzy Brixton, was name after the Windrush ship that bought people
I recall Brixton back in the 80,s after the riots in 1981. It was still a place that everyone came to do
their shopping, to buy their music from places such as Red Records, to go to Woolworth and most
of all to go to the markets, hang out eating patties and drinking rum punch as the sound of music
especially reggae filled the air. It was still the place to feel at home as you watch the flock of people
doing their shopping and avoiding old ladies pulling trolleys over your foot. The main scenery in
Brixton during the 80’s was that of stalls selling Caribbean food such as yam, green bananas and
many other foods from the Caribbean. Mass of hair shops selling wigs etc. and many hairdressers,
barbers, Caribbean takeaways was the main culture that was showing until the Council Materplan
of Brixton in 2009 came into place and Tesco moved from Pope Road to Arce Lane in July 2009, was
the first sign of changes on the way, and become realistic in 2019, are seeing overpriced properties,
family run businesses going under due to quadrupled rent and being replaced by new chain stores.
Link to Future Brixton Masterplan

(https://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/documents/s57901/01%20Future%20Brixton%20Masterplan%
2009..
Many who previously left Brixton is now finding it hard to return to live or even set up a business
due to the expensiveness the area has become. Also many of the young generation who have
grown up and lived in Brixton all their lives, feels dissolute at the prospect of not being able to stay
in their own community, as they feel unwelcome, and eventually priced out.
Quote from a young woman. “This is not the Brixton, I know, grown up in all my life. It feels like
I am being forcibly removed, with my culture that was created completely vanishing.” Another
quoted from a young man. “People are being forced out by high rent and unaffordable house prices
along with universal credit which is probably a part of their plan to move people out to the
countryside such as Stoke on Trent and Peterborough and burdening those Council’s with people
from Lambeth & London problems, it sucks”.
Brixton coming into the last 5 years has seen many changes such as the Voice Newspaper,
disappeared, replaced by luxury apartments and trendy cafés/restaurants that’s only seem to be
focusing on catering to certain clientele. Just opposite Brixton Village that leads unto Sommerleyton
Road is a £100million development to the old Peabody housing estate, with very little affordable
houses amongst some social houses. To further establish the area the Oval House Theatre will also
be moving from the Oval into the area opposite the Brixton Village.
One of the side entrance off Pope Road leading into the market now known as Brixton Village
Brixton is now known as the trendiest place to live with its vibrant mix of socializing, music, bars,
events, and it multicultural ethnicity, mixture of different nationalities that when around the tube
station, it sounds like you have stepped out of Heathrow International Airport due to the vast
languages that is spoken around that area but yet local communities cannot afford to socialize
especially on a weekend as its overcrowded with credit card wheeling middle class ravers who can
afford to pay the high charges as gentrification steps in. House prices has rocketed with people
paying outrageous prices as properties are being sold for double the price, showing a staggering
76% rise since the Brixton Masterplan 2009 and businesses push to the limit of no coming back.
Brixton being the main strategic and cultural centre in Lambeth, is generating an increase in
population yet even with gentrification on the door step the high rate of unemployment and
increase in homelessness still prevails.
Brixton Underground Station on the very busy Victoria Line The international airport of South Lond
This is a link to an interview with Solomon Smith of Brixton Soup Kitchen, on Gentrification of
Brixton.
N Williams
Solomon Smith Brixton Soup Kitchen … Share
The main market known as Brixton Village, creates the ambiance in the heart of Brixton but has
seen the biggest sign of gentrification as many businesses has closed making way for influx of
trendy café, bars, restaurants who are willing to pay the asking price of £40,000 per year for lease.
Brixton Village with its new trendy cafe, bars and restaurants that use to be food stalls
Food stalls before many closed to make way for the cafe etc
Brixton still remains highly protected with listed buildings that gives it that authentic and historical
look , even regeneration and gentrification cannot demolished such as the Lambeth Town Hall in
Acre Lane, which has now been given an upgrade costing an estimated £104 million, along with the
new Civic Centre, that were part of the Councils Master Plan to urbanized the area. This also means
removing the prominent and iconic building Olive Morris House, likely to turn into luxury flats,
(also erasing the memory of the Olive Morris who Lambeth, honoured in 1986 by naming the
building after her) no doubt be unaffordable to the local community.
The Ritzy cinema and Brixton Library two of Brixton’s historical landmarks
Lambeth Town Hall which has been newly renovated and reopened in January 2018
Olive Morris House in Brixton Hill, the former offices of Lambeth Council before they moved to the
The newly built Civic Centre attached to the Town Hall housing the majority of Lambeth Council sta
Further down behind Brixton Academy you have Stockwell Park Estate and the Skate Park (once
called notorious and no go area) now seeing luxury apartments which is changing the area.
Why this sudden change of Brixton? Is it the easy proximity to West End, the City, St Pancras
International Station for Euro Star, fast Victoria Line and overhead train links and Vauxhall
regeneration of high rise luxury apartments, the American Embassy that this image is offering a
certain attraction to middle and high purchasing power that is leading to the fatal blow to the
communities of Brixton and pushing out the working class out the neighbourhood.
One aspect that created controversy on gentrification is the arches in Brixton owned by Network
Rail and housed many small businesses. Network Rail new venture to renovate with an £8million
upgrade has seen many traders still being evicted even after a petition of 30,000 people supported
them. Many are unable to return on completion due to the higher rent that they say are
unaffordable putting many out of business and had to take compensation in 2016 and leave. Some
moved somewhere else with very few returning to join the elite purchasing power that has
outweighed the lower earners who feels displaced and abandon as they are pushed farther away
where rent are more affordable.
Some of the arches in Brixton Station Road opposite the long stand Brixton Recreation Centre that w
One of the newly refurbished unit under the arches going up to let as the former leaseholder is not r
One trader from the arches Mr A said “I have to return to my native country after having my business here
for over 25 years and it is devastating” Further quote by a traders said “The arches, once community
backbone for small businesses has been moved by Network Rail and the Council, hence evicting our
community.
Other business around Brixton has closed down due to Landlord wanting properties back such as
the long standing over 30 years, 414 Night Club in Coldharbour Lane, now a prime spot for a new
venture. One former worker quoted “they don’t want any black businesses in the area anymore, so
they are taking it all away little by little”.
414 Night Club in Coldharbour Lane which has now closed after over 30 years as the landlord want
Further business that looks to go to gentrification is SW9 Bar in Dorrell Place after investor Miraj
bought the Superdrug site in front for a staggering £76million with monies borrowed from Lloyds
Bank, to build luxury 96 room hotel. Owner Alan Culterhouse of SW9 Bar told Brixton Blog in
February 2017 when he was first approached by lawyers from the developers. “They told me there
was no point even consulting a lawyer of my own,” he says. They said they had the money,
resources and experience behind them to make pointless any resistance to their plan to terminate
his lease with compensation that falls many tens of thousands short of his own view of what
would be appropriate”. Another 250 room hotel is set to be also built along Brixton Road in the old
DHSS office with the front entry where the shop Barnados now lives. The original businesses such
as Marks & Spencer, Morley Store, Boots and Superdrug has now being joined by new additions
like TK Maxx, Pret Manger, Costa, The Department Store, Premier Inn Hotel.
The old DHSS building which will become a 250 room hotel with the entry where the charity shop b
Link from Brixton Blog (https://www.brixtonblog.com/2017/02/hotel-development-threatens-

brixtons-sw9-bar/43134/) article.
On the other hand can gentrification really help an area such a Brixton to progress in the future.
A link from Telegraph’ (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/22/stop-hipster-

handwringing-gentrification-good-rich-poor-alike/)s writer Zoe Strimpel in November 2016
Another link from Brixton Blog (https://www.brixtonblog.com/2018/01/this-is-brixton-a-

changing-place-called-home/49370/) Linda Quinn in January 2018 article and documentary on
Film Maker Shaun Duncan
A quote from Shane Duncan on gentrification “I realised the place I called home was changing fast
and I wanted to make a film that reflected that – I wanted the people that were blind to the fact, to
now be able to see.”
And a response by Beatrice Gorman about the article in the comment section. “I don’t see many
Jamaican posters on here who bought property for two grand in the 60s in Brixton and then sold
them for 850k to white professionals moaning much do you? Black people didn’t just live in social
housing – in fact, those arrivals in the 50s bought properties. My street was nearly all black in the
70s and the last black family moved out and sold for 900k last year. Nice payback, and not the
fault of white people”.
Sponsored Content
Are you eligible for new hearing aids? Hidden Hearing | Sponsored
(https://booking.hiddenhearing.co.uk/2022?code=A8QH-1&utm_source=Outbrain&utm_medium
Goodbye Lidl? Every Single Store Closing In 2023 Investing Magazine | Sponsored
(https://za.investing.com/magazine/last-call-these-popular-stores-are-closing-locations-in-2022/?
utm_source=Outbrain&utm_medium=cpm&utm_campaign=008afaa6d216dd7b0a1295084c8b179c0d
Diabetes Is Not From Sweets: Meet The Enemy Investing Magazine | Sponsored
(https://za.investing.com/magazine/commonly-eaten-foods-that-are-bad-for-your-health/?
utm_source=Outbrain&utm_medium=cpm&utm_campaign=0009ee6b2e292ebf52ebf88a8887722102
Posted in Features, Lambeth
Website Powered by WordPress.com.

Will Communities in Brixton Be Displaced Through Gentrification

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Will Communities in Brixton Be Displaced Through Gentrification

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

2023/4/11 20:55 Will Communities In Brixton Be Displaced Through Gentrification

May 24, 2019June 4, 2019 by Nez Williams - Lambeth Editor

Will Communities In Brixton Be Displaced

The Idea of Gentrification and does it help

Why has Brixton become the target of Gentrification

Brixton started another change in 1925 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brixton#Until_the_mid-

Link to Future Brixton Masterplan

Solomon Smith Brixton Soup Kitchen … Share

Link from Brixton Blog (https://www.brixtonblog.com/2017/02/hotel-development-threatens-

A link from Telegraph’ (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/22/stop-hipster-

Another link from Brixton Blog (https://www.brixtonblog.com/2018/01/this-is-brixton-a-

Website Powered by WordPress.com.

You might also like