Union members outside Lambeth College in Brixton during a previous protest over Government cuts. Picture from Lambeth Save Our Services

Lambeth college is to cut “30 to 40″ jobs in the borough as it struggles with a funding cut of £3.5million.

The institution, which has a campus in Brixton as well as one in Clapham and Vauxhall, in consulting with nearly 100 staff over redundancies, it was revealed today.

Since a damning “inadequate” rating from Ofsted in March last year, Lambeth College has turned round its academic fortunes and last month was succesfully re-inspected. It is now rebranding as London’s first “careers college”.

The college also claims it has been hit hard by Government cuts, saying it will lose £3.5million from its budget next year.

A spokesperson for the college said: “In order for the college to secure its future and achieve financial sustainability, proposals to reduce overall staffing have been set out for consultation with the recognised trade unions and affected staff.

“The consultation will continue for 30 days with 97 affected staff and could potentially result in 30-40 redundancies.  The college is looking to actively support those staff affected.”

The spokesperson said that Lambeth college was on a “journey of change”, and that more jobs would be created in the future. She added: “Following a successful Ofsted re-inspection in March 2013, there are many exciting developments taking place as the college seeks to establish itself as London’s first ‘careers college’.

“In order to maintain high standards of education and offer more vocational courses, we will continue to re-align our workforce to meet the changing demands of our learners and employers to ensure we are responsive and highly flexible. ”

Are you affected by the redundancies? Email newsdesk@brixtonblog.com or call us on 0207 737 5417

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DANGER: Parents navigate the dangerous crossing on Water Lane. Picture by Phoebe BeasleyBy James Cornsih

By James Cornish

The campaign for a pedestrian crossing on Brixton Water Lane ended successfully last night when Sainsbury’s agreed to cover the £100,000 bill.

The supermarket chain is building a new store at the road’s junction with Tulse Hill and residents feared the crossroads would become even more dangerous.

Sainsbury’s agreed to fund the crossing opposite the Hootananny pub following meetings with Transport for London and Lambeth Highways and hopes it will be completed much more quickly than the 14-month timescale given by the authorities.

TfL will undertake the work which will for the first time provide a safe route for, among others, pupils walking from the St Matthew’s area to Jubilee Primary School. Only two of the busy junction’s four roads have pedestrian crossings at present.

David Woods, who was part of the campaign, said: “Putting aside views about the domination of supermarkets on the high street, I feel that this is a very positive result that reflects well on Sainsbury’s.”

“They’ve acted with a genuine commitment to being a good member of the community, unlike certain competitors.”

Another campaigner, Tim Fairhurst, of the Josephine Avenue Group, welcomed the news. “We are encouraged Sainsbury’s is listening to our concerns, especially on road safety,” he said. “We will now be working with them to make sure local people have a fair crack at the job opportunities.”

The new Sainsbury’s store – on the old Carpetright and Topps Tiles site – is scheduled to open in nine weeks with the creation of 100 jobs.

At 12,000sq ft, it is sized halfway between a ‘Local’ store and a full-scale supermarket and marks a new departure for the chain.

Almost 150 residents had unsuccessfully objected to the granting of an alcohol licence citing traffic fears and the impact on small shops.

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A child explores the edible bus stop

Regular readers may already know of Stockwell’s Edible Bus Stop which Brixton Blog has visited before. Well last weekend it had its official opening as one of London’s Pocket Parks! Isabel Hope-Urwin went down to find out more about the amazing journey of this wonderful space.

Crowds gathered in the streets of Stockwell last Saturday for the grand opening of The Edible Bus Stop.

Stationed on the 322 bus route along Landor Road, the community space is one of 100 developments backed by the Mayor of London’s Pocket Parks programme aimed at getting London a bit greener.

The project began as a guerrilla garden venture two years ago and has transformed the patch of disregarded scrub into a green and structured public space. The eco-conscious determination of locals clearly attracted wider attention, as the project, which was awarded funding by Boris Johnson earlier this year, was one of the first ‘pocket parks’ to get underway.

Crowd gathers for grand opening of Edible Bus Stop

A worthy cause for celebration, visitors travelled from all corners of the borough last weekend to join the festivities, which were kicked off by Southwark Children’s Brass Band.

While volunteers handed out seeds on the way to Landor Road, the youngsters braved the grey skies and entertained pedestrians with an impressive assortment of British favourites from the top deck of an open air bus. Chelsea Fringe festival representatives, who helped organise the event, were also on site to lend a hand and make sure the day’s timetable remained intact amid the excitement.

Founding member of The Edible Bus Stop, Mak Gilchrist, speaks proudly of the project’s accessibility. Behind The Edible Bus Stop is the intrinsic sentiment that ‘all are welcome to join in, whether to garden, share skills, bring tea or have a chat and meet their neighbourhood’. Through this open door outlook, Gilchrist aims to encourage a more cohesive community.

Saturday’s opening was proof that this aspiration had been accomplished. A huge number of people arrived to mingle, discuss gardening tips and donate vegetables. One family even brought a tray of potatoes that had been sprouting on their windowsill with nowhere to be planted.

Planting the town green

With drinks and a vegetarian buffet donated by Landor Road’s very own green-fingered specialists and purveyors of organic food, D Vine Cellars and the Alkarmel Café, the tidy-up was clearly motivated by a neighbourhood passion for gardening and home grown produce. But no one wants to stop the bus in Stockwell.

The Edible Bus Stop campaign is seeking out disused sites across London and, with resident volunteers and a small budget, intends to create a network of usable growing spaces for local communities. It is this monumental agenda that appears to have caught the interest of City Hall.

While the Mayor has pronounced Stockwell’s pocket park a ‘plentiful oasis of calm’ and commended those involved for their investment in the city as a whole, speeches on Saturday resounded with neighbourly pride in the community’s achievement.

What was once an old bomb site, neglected since the Second World War, has transformed into a promising garden patch and instantly brightened the area. Landor Road’s residents, the regulars who traverse the 322 bus route, and anyone who just happens to stumble across The Edible Bus Stop are all bound to benefit from the community’s collective vision.

The Edible Bus Stop: from guerrilla garden to Lambeth ‘Pocket Park’

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Carlton Mansions

Residents of a Brixton housing co-operative threatened with eviction have been given more time to defend against the bid to remove them.

A judge at Lambeth County Court today adjourned proceedings brought by Lambeth Council to throw out tenants of 16 flats in Carlton Mansions, Coldharbour Lane.

Possession orders will now be heard over two days in the second week of August. Injunctions will be heard at the same time.

In the meantime Lambeth council and Carlton Mansions residents must commission a joint fire inspection in the common areas of the building, as well as the inside of individual flats.

The Judge said: “I have decided that it would not be right for the matter to be dealt with today in what would in effect by summary disposal of the cases.

“I recognise that in this case it is complicated by the fact that there are a number of different occupiers.” He also recognised that the co-operative has existed for a number of years and some members are long term tenants.

Resident Matthew told the court: “I am no expert of the law, but there is a lot at stake for us. We have not had a lot of time and we have had a lot of stress and our homes have been threatened.”

A former resident accused Lambeth council of pursuing the evictions with “overt aggressiveness” that has led to some co-op members suffer serious mental health issues.

Last month a judge at Lambeth County Court refused to hear an immediate injunction application made by Lambeth’s lawyers, telling them he was not prepared to “make possession orders by the back door”.

The authority, which owns the freehold for the building, claims a fire inspection found the Victorian block poses an intolerable threat to life.

An injunction is one of the most draconian types of order you can seek and a judge will only grant it in very serious cases. If the injunction had been granted, it is possible that residents may have been arrested if they entered the building.

Speaking last month, Cllr Rachel Heywood said: “The situation with Carlton mansions has moved extremely rapidly and with less time for discussion and the exploration of alternative options than I, personally, would have wished for.

“In fact my preference is that we continue to work productively with CMHC to develop a good solution for the redevelopment of Somerleyton rd which includes CMHC. There is no reason why we cannot continue to do this, but nor can we ignore the gravity of the findings of the fire risk assessment. This has placed an urgent duty upon the council to vacate the building because of “intolerable” levels of risk.”

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A judge at Lambeth County Court, Kennington, is hearing the application by Lambeth Council to gain possession of 16 flats in the building.

The council is also seeking a draconian injunction against the residents, some of whom have lived in the flats for decades.

Last month a judge at Lambeth County Court refused to hear an immediate injunction application made by Lambeth’s lawyers, telling them he was not prepared to “make possession orders by the back door”. The authority, which owns the freehold for the building, claims a fire inspection found the Victorian block poses and intolerable threat to life.

An injunction is one of the most draconian types of order you can seek and a judge will only grant it in very serious cases. If the injunction had been granted, it is possible that residents may have been arrested if they entered the building.

Speaking last month, Cllr Rachel Heywood said: “The situation with Carlton mansions has moved extremely rapidly and with less time for discussion and the exploration of alternative options than I, personally, would have wished for.”

“In fact my preference is that we continue to work productively with CMHC to develop a good solution for the redevelopment of Somerleyton rd which includes CMHC. There is no reason why we cannot continue to do this, but nor can we ignore the gravity of the findings of the fire risk assessment. This has placed an urgent duty upon the council to vacate the building because of “intolerable” levels of risk.”

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MISSING: Rupert Bartley

UPDATE ON THURSDAY (MAY 23): Rupert has been found safe and well.

Police are asking for help to find a vulnerable elderly man who may be lost in Brixton.

Rupert Bartley, 79, left his home in Santley Street, Clapham, yesterday evening and did not tell his wife where he was going.

Bartley, who is black and about 5ft 11ins tall, was last seen wearing a grey coat and checked flat cap. He likes to travel by bus to Brixton, and wears his oyster card around his neck on a ribbon.

A spokesman for Lambeth police said: “Mr Bartley suffers from Alzheimers and can become easily confused. He also suffers from high blood pressure and diabetes which requires regular medication, but he does not have this with him.

Anyone who has seen Mr Bartley or knows of his whereabouts is asked to contact Brixton CID via 101 or 0208 649 2191 and quote the reference 13MIS016341. Alternatively, contact the charity Missing People on 116000.

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It is easy to be suspicious of all the changes occurring in Brixton these days. We worry the uniqueness of the area could be lost to high street stores, global coffee shops and moneyed hipsters, so it is understandable that we scrutinise outsiders for capitalising on the recent popularity of the area, the most obvious of which is the ‘foodie’ scene. When we on the food team at the Brixton Blog heard that there were companies offering ‘food walks’ of Brixton, we guffawed. Surely this was another blatant example of someone jumping on the foodie bandwagon? We decided to check out one particular tour; I was to review it for the Blog, undercover as a punter unfamiliar with the area to see how much effort was made to know the real Brixton.

We booked with Fox and Squirrel, a company that hosts a variety of guided walks around London. Their website describes Brixton Market as “one of the most exotic, eclectic and unusual markets in England”, and guests will experience “a coffee tasting, Caribbean dishes reimagined, exquisite gelato made in front of [our] eyes, British cheese, charcuterie and more…” Our instant response was to roll our eyes and assume the worst.

On the day, a group of about 12 of us met outside the Tube. No one was local and seemed a little shocked at the pandemonium that is Saturday midday in Brixton. Street preachers competing over each other’s voices, steel drums playing recognisable pop tunes, shouts of greeting all combined to make the cacophony of sound that is so familiar to Brixtonites. Our group was led by one of the founders of Fox and Squirrel, Penelope Sacorafou, and Simon Wroe, chef turned writer and our guide for the day.

We started at the bottom of Brixton Station Road where the Saturday Market was on in full force, and made our way to our first stop: coffee. I had assumed our destination was going to be Federation, but in fact it was Shawl Café, where owner Mohammad and his wife Elsa took us through an Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Mo explained the history and the traditions around the service, whilst Elsa roasted coffee beans over hot embers. As the smell of the roasting beans and the sounds of the market filled the air, frankincense burned and popcorn was nibbled. This service seemed a far cry from what our group expected, myself included, many arriving with Starbucks in hand. Elsa’s coffee was delicious: strong but light, floral, clean and smooth. Next, we moved on to Las Americas on Pope’s Road, where were given the opportunity to try lechona, a traditional Columbian dish made from whole side of pork, which is then stuffed with rice and green peas, and slow roasted for several hours. It is only served on Saturdays at Las Americas and it was the first time I’d tried it. Slathered with their delicious homemade salsa, it was a revelation.

We wandered into Brixton Village and made a stop at Kumasi Market, the Ghanaian grocery store. Simon went through some of items that were sold there before we continued on to the Sierra Leone shop, with its array of seemingly foreign herbs and spices, where he explained their role in Bush medicine.  It is worth saying at this point that my initial assumptions and my prejudices were crumbling. I was impressed with Simon’s local knowledge, and it was clear that he and Fox and Squirrel had done their research. Not only that, Simon has developed genuine relationships with the traders. Our presence wasn’t viewed as suspicious or invasive; everyone we visited welcomed us.

Our next stop was to Fish, Wing n Tings, where my cover was subsequently blown. It became impossible for me to continue the pretence of being an outsider when faced with the warmth and friendliness of Brian Danclair, who I’m lucky enough to know. He serves sensational jerk chicken, curries, and rotis, as well as making his own cheek-tingling hot sauces.  I could no longer feign local ignorance and in my embarrassment at being caught out, I blushingly revealed who I was. But I also felt at this point that I could recommend this walk to outsiders wishing to get a taste of the real Brixton food scene. The walk did not have the quality of yuppie middle-class gastro-tourism; it seemed genuinely supportive of local business.

The tour continued to Lab G to watch Giovanni make his famous salted caramel gelato and to taste the fruits of his labours. All of his gelato is carefully made upstairs in his tiny kitchen above the shop, the results of which are some of the best I’ve tried outside of Italy. On we went to Market Row to visit Noor Cash and Carry, where Simon touched on the recent issue of rent hikes that has plagued the Noor and other business due to the popularity of the area. The group wandered around the shop, and whilst I think many were surprised at the range of items on offer, I overheard someone saying they would have never thought to shop there if they’d seen it from the outside. We continued through Market Row, past Wishbone, past Franco Manca, and into the Reliance Arcade. We stopped at the tiny Ethiopian shop inside, where we could purchase the beans and frankincense to do our own coffee ceremony then exited the Arcade, turning right onto Electric Avenue, where we wandered back slowly towards Market Row and the walk finished with cocktails at Seven@Brixton.

It is absolutely right to be suspect of those attempting to do business in Brixton under the guise of being local, but in the case of Fox and Squirrel’s food walk, it seemed less interested in capitalising on the recent popularity and more about introducing outsiders to local flavour in a respectful manner. Granted, the cost of the ticket is pricey (£50), but I was informed that once costs were covered, the remaining money went directly to the traders. The walk is a decent introduction to the diversity of cultures here, all of which have meshed together to create a solid community. Well done Fox and Squirrel. Humble pie has now been served.

Photography by Stuart Beesley 

More at blondevsbland.com 

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Clinton House, Palace Road, before the fire. Picture by Ronnie Hackston on Flickr

Clinton House, Palace Road, before the fire. Picture by Ronnie Hackston on Flickr

Clinton House, the substantial Victorian house gutted by fire today, was the former home of the author Dennis Wheatley.

Firefighters were called to the derelict building at 4pm today, where they found the entire first floor in flames.

Dennis Wheatley, who was born in south London and was expelled from Dulwich College, is thought to have lived at the house from 1913 to 1922.

Mystery surrounds what started the fire today.

In 2011 Lambeth approved plans for the building to be demolished and the site redeveloped as a four story building with 13 flats, a townhouse and a ground floor health centre. In April this year an application for approval of parts of the plans were made, and they are currently “under consideration” by Lambeth council.

For more information and pictures of the blaze, click here.

Clinton House, Palace Road, in flames earlier. Picture by Paul Redwood

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Clinton House, Palace Road, in flames earlier. Picture by Paul Redwood

Firefighters are dealing with a huge fire at a house in Christchurch Road, near Brixton Hill.

The blaze began in the derelict building at about 4pm, and at least six fire engines are currently at the scene and the busy south circular road remains closed.

The building, called Clinton House, was once the home of the author Dennis Wheatley.

Eyewitness Gavin Ramjaun lives yards from the derelict building and was first alerted by the smell of smoke.

He told the Brixton Blog: “I had just got home and I could smell burning so I ran outside and saw smoke billowing from behind the trees. Everything was white.

“I saw the flames above the top of the trees and the smoke was everywhere. Someone from the doctors surgery next door rang the fire brigade and four engines were there in about two minutes.”

Fire engine outside Clinton House earlier. Picture by Paul Redwood

It is not known how the fire started, and no-one was thought to be hurt in the blaze.

Mr Ramjaun added: “There are all sorts of squatters there at night time, but the police told me there was no-one around when the fire started. They don’t know what happened.

Around the area there are lots of trees and the fire could easily have spread to surrounding houses. The fire brigade did a great job.”

The London Fire Brigade tweeted at 4pm today: “The whole of the first floor of a disused house in Christchurch Road, Tulse Hill is alight. There are six fire engines at the scene.”

At 4.45pm TfL said: “The A205 is closed in both directions due to a building fire. Use alternate routes. Traffic is slow moving on eastbound on Streatham Place and northbound on Brixton Hill. Expect delays.”

Brixton Blog reader Rachel Foote tweeted to say: “Huge fire in large sad derelict Victorian house between Palace and Christchurch Rds; 9 fire engines, 4 police cars, 2 ambulances. Awful.”

See video below by Gavin Ramjaun.

Did you see the fire? Email newsdesk@brixtonblog.com or call 0207 737 5417.

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Today is the last chance for keen Brixton runners and swimmers to register for the annual Windrush Aquathlon.

The race will take place at Brockwell Lido on June 2 and consists of a 500m swim and a 5km run. Children aged 9-15 can also take part in a shorter aquathlon.

Windrush Triathlon Club, which is organising the race, is offering T-Shirts and medals to all who finish, with prizes for the fastest. Laura Addis, from the Club, said: “Last year was a huge success and we want to keep it as a super friendly race for people of all abilities in the local area.”

You can sign up to the Aquathlon and find more details here.

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