A journey through Brixton: in place and time
Walking through Brixton today, you could be forgiven for thinking you were in any downtown neighbourhood in any cosmopolitan city in the world. You are, but not quite.
Brixton lies 6km south of the centre of London, near enough to still feel very urban but far away enough that London’s tourists will almost certainly never venture its way. It’s high street looks the same as many others – tube station, supermarkets and fast food joints aplenty – but Brixton is different. It is an area characterised by its individuality and for London, an unusual sense of community typified by the Brixton pound – the local currency set up to support local and traders which is one of its most alluring quirks.
With great resistance, the high street has finally succumbed to the lure of those brand name supermarkets and other retail outlets, but off the main stretch lays the thriving and colourful Brixton market, the very heart of the area’s character.
Electric Avenue, so called because it was the first street in Britain to be lit by electricity which is pictures above, has been home to the market since the 1880s and as the centre of the area’s community has seen many great changes in its past and is at the centre of one of Brixton’s key turning points for the future.
A brief history
Until the late 19th century, Brixton was a largely agricultural area, dominated by farmland and open space. It acted as a key stopping point on the ancient Roman road between London and Chichester. With the dawn of the industrial revolution, Brixton was engulfed in London’s sprawl and the early adoption of its current make-up began to take shape.
The construction of the railway station linking it to central London finally nailed Brixton down as a suburb and subsequently attracted middle-class families who wanted to escape the urban chaos, turning it into a thriving neighbourhood complete with market, cinemas, pubs and a theatre.
World War II bomb damage and a struggling economy led to a housing shortage in Brixton and the old neighbourhood had lost the glamour and buzz that it had grown accustomed to in the 1920s and 30s instead falling into disrepair and decay.
A key turning point was the arrival of the Windrush generation from the Caribbean. Brixton became one of the main areas of settlement for London’s West Indian population, Brixton has ever since been blessed with a multicultural demographic, vibrant atmosphere and community spirit.
Vibrant and colourful: brixton village arcades (photo courtesy Walter Gelms)
Vibrant and colourful: brixton village arcades (photo courtesy Walter Gelms)
At times this spirit has been tested, no more so than the Brixton riots in 1981. Incensed at increasingly oppressive police stop-and-search tactics and the high rate of unemployment brought about by economic recession, the young, mainly Afro-Caribbean population eventually broke into an outburst of rage that lasted for one weekend in April in which vehicles were damaged and people injured. Brixton has since been tarnished with a reputation of violence.
The aftermath to the riots gave a chance at introspection for both the local population and the police. Things, it could be said, have improved, although as in so many inner-city neighbourhoods, crime and drug-addiction continue to be a problem.
To the future
Again, Brixton’s mettle is set to be challenged with the influx of young, middle-class professionals attracted by its ‘edginess’, character and cheap rent.
The re-branded market, now known as Brixton village, is home to one of London’s most thriving ‘foodie’ hubs. Pop-up restaurants, burger joints and trendy cafes now adorn the indoor arcades, once the home to butchers, greengrocers and other small business-owners.
A hike in rent has meant only those serving hot food or with an alcohol licence can realistically make a profit from trading there, leading to the marginalisation of the residents and stall-holders that made the market what it was for so many years.
The arrival of Foxtons estate agents was seen as the final stamp of the arrival of gentrification in Brixton. One local resident reacted by vandalising the shop front, no doubt with support from others, but unfortunately at this stage, such action is futile.
Ultimately, Brixton is one of London’s great neighbourhoods. Epitomising this great city in its multicultural make-up and in the way it has evolved though time. We should celebrate Brixton for what it is and what it has been while defending its DNA for the future.
It has always been a neighbourhood of inclusiveness and integration and it would be a shame to lose that for homogenisation. As the area becomes more popular, it becomes all the more attractive for large chain restaurants and supermarkets to move in and Brixton will lose the identity and character that makes it unique. And therein lies Brixton’s main challenge for the future.
www.the-street-seen.com/brixton/
