Any advice about Brixton?

Ah Brixton, lovely Brixton…where do I start? First off, check out www.urban75.org.uk – it’s a labour of Brixton love, with lots of reviews, info, guides etc.

As for places to live – best areas are around Josephine Avenue (a conservation area, originally over the path of the River Effra, now surrounded by chestnut trees – although you take your life in your hands walking down there when the squirrels are out in force, attempting to crack open conkers by hurling them at the pavement). Other nice areas are a bit further up towards Brockwell Park – known as Poet’s Corner (Shakespeare/Chaucer/Milton Roads etc). I’d avoid the northern parts of Brixton (Stockwell end) or the parts near Clapham (the former is still quite rough, the latter over-priced and full of people who say they live in Clapham – and that’s just wrong).

Brockwell Park itself is a good enough reason to move to Brixton. The Lido has just re-opened; the Lambeth Country Fair is on 21/22 July (and you have to visit that just for the Vegetable Sculpture Competition winners) and there are usually plenty of other activities during the year.

As for places to go: food, try Asmara on Coldharbour Lane (Eritrean), Como e Punto (Colombian) in Granville Arcade (accessible via Coldharbour Lane), and Negril up on Brixton Hill (Caribbean). Drinking: Effra Tavern is best, also has live music and is the most mixed of all the pubs in the area. But the Trinity Arms is also good and in a nice location.

Hope that helps for starters and welcome to the neighbourhood!

Posted about 1 year ago by freedapeople

Brockwell Park itself is a good enough reason to move to Brixton. The Lido has just re-opened

Just make sure you don’t go too far, or else you actually end up in Herne Hill, which costs a lot more!

Avoid Railton Road, that runs along the railway – a den of iniquity and v scary after dark

Brixton Hill area isn’t bad, but I second freedapeople’s advice about steering clear of areas closer to Stockwell – not nice.

For noodles, try Fujiyama on Vining St – v good. Avoid Speedy Noodles on the High St like the plague – it’s vile!

Posted about 1 year ago by robram

Brixton Wholefoods! really good food shop where you can weigh out herbs/spices/teas and at very reasonable prices. It’s a reason in itself to move to brixton

transport wise it’s very good, a tube, a train and millions of buses

Posted about 1 year ago by tickledpink

Railton road is a bit of a horror, a good friend of mine lived on Railton and amongst the general nastiness he once looked out of his bedroom window one night to find a man giving his wife/girlfriend a rather vicious beating into unconsciousness on the street. That was shortly before his housemate died of a heroin overdose in their house.

Nice.

meow charlie says railton road is nasty

Posted about 1 year ago by unknown

I don’t think Railton Road’s that bad – I walk down it most days – and I used to totter along it late at night, alone, and pissed back when I was young(er). Yes…I have no friends. Plus it also has the joys of the colourful fence

ditto tickledpink’s suggestion of the wholefoods store – apart from the bad tempered hippy who works on the till. And contrary to Robram’s comments, Herne Hill is probably marginally cheaper than Brixton because there’s no tube. And it’s much more laid back. And it has Mr Double’s Rotis-R-Us, of which I have rhapsodised on many another thread. But it really is fabulous. Actually Brixton’s shit. Don’t move there. Move to Herne Hill instead…

Posted about 1 year ago by freedapeople

I live just off Brixton Hill, near the prison and that’s quite nice.

My fave watering hole in The White Horse (on Brixton Hill) on a Sunday afternoon. They serve some amazing food at very reasonable prizes. Plus every other Sunday my mate Will Rutter plays some live music and every month he brings amazing guests in.

And yes, Negril is one of the nicest places in Brixton. Their breakfast is just stunning. So are their smoothies.

Posted about 1 year ago by Femke

I lived just off Railton for a while and gained the following salient insights:

1.) If you hear what sounds like a baby screaming in your front garden at three in the morning, don’t worry, its just urban foxes screwing. Hopefully.

2.) Tempting as it might be, don’t buy any coiled dry fish from covered market and attempt to rehydrate them in a bucket, if you do, don’t under any circumstances eat the results.

3.) Don’t make eye contact with anyone hanging around Iceland by the station while wearing a suit – unless you want a chorus of “skunk?” and “coke?” to accompany you up the road.

4.) If there’s a gig at the Academy and you time it right (ie fifteen minutes after its started), you can sometimes haggle a tenner ticket from the touts clustered up Brixton Road between the station and venue.

Best food – fresh sandwiches from phoenix, the bald guy who runs the place is an artist.

Posted about 1 year ago by yeseventhat

I used to live on St.Matthews Road, which I loved. I was five minutes from town and five minutes from Brockwell Park. I miss Brixton :(

Posted about 1 year ago by Mamfer

One of my best mates lived on Bankton Rd, near Coldhabour Lane (or did I make that up?) while we were in school and it was great. Much more of a community feel than some places I could mention. You do need to keep an eye out for crack addicts though, just stay away from that little park near the Ritzy.

The Ritzy was always a joy because they rarely had people checking tickets. Brockwell Lido in the summer, the Lounge for breakfast, ah the fun we had. Fairly sure when I get my own place in London it’ll be in Brixton.

Posted about 1 year ago by jessq86

Ooh yeah – Phoenix for sandwiches and egg’n’chips. It was often said (after several pints) that when Tanner, the bald bloke in the Phoenix, knew your name you were properly integrated into Brixton society. He always used to call my friend Karen ‘Carol’. I don’t know if that means anything.

Posted about 1 year ago by freedapeople

Hello all, my first post here.

Freeda summed up pretty well – also, the Beehive is quite pleasant for food and drinks upstairs looked OK (and has 3am licence). One of the great Brixton secrets for me is Sema’s Cafe, a lovely greasy spoon just at the end of Effra Road as it turns into Tulse Hill. Very friendly, very cheap and crusty bread for your bacon & egg sandwiches… yum. The Lounge has gone off the boil – the food’s pretty average, and everyone who’s been recently say staff are really moody. No need for that. Not been to whatever the Bug Bar’s called these days, and still mourning the passing of the Brixtonian…

Posted about 1 year ago by thowed

I just stumbled upon this thread and opened it to see what the word from KCL was. I’ve lived in Brixton the best part of a year and a half, but all I can add is that jessg86’s picture made me laugh out loud. Thank you.

long day

Posted 3 months ago by Eltanin

I live at the top of Brixton Hill and I like it a lot (one of the reasons that I am hesitant about moving). And, as Femke said, the White Horse is a really nice pub: highly recommended.

Face it, Brixton is the place to be…

Posted 3 months ago by devilskitchen

it also has the joys of the colourful fence

That is quite an exciting fence isn’t it.

Posted 3 months ago by iSleepDiagonal

worries about ISD and his fence obsession

Posted 3 months ago by Babb