Alex Wheatle on the gentrification of Brixton

Alex Wheatle on the gentrification of Brixton

Novelist Alex Wheatle describes how his native Brixton has changed from being an area where many outsiders feared to tread to somewhere where south London's young professionals can now go for an £8 burrito. But has Brixton lost its unique vibe? 'It's very pleasant,' says Wheatle, 'but I do miss that constant pounding of reggae'

[nativetexanful]

Like everywhere else, low-income housing is disappearing, and the poor are being priced out.

[irishgoldstacker]

As a kid myself and my father sold carpets in Brixton on Saturdays. Back then, we did a brisk trade. The majority of our customers were local, working class and mostly black/Caribbean people. Middle class people never bought our carpets. I was 10-12 years old and I would help to bring carpets to a customer's home, especially if they were a woman or an older person. They always gave me a quid for delivering the carpet. I loved those days. I remember those days and Brixton fondly. There was this Jamaican guy who in the summer months was selling snow cones. He did a brisk trade too. Then there was the bloke who sold sugar cane! Actual pieces of sugar cane. That was the old Brixton that I have fond memories of. As for "don't go to Brixton". That certainly was not mine or my father's attitude. Brixton has had its problems, like the video says. There was a great shock to the people of Brixton when that mad man David Hope, the racist who bombed and tried to terrorize Brixton. Brixtonians charactaristaclly got up and brushed themselves down. I remember Brixton fondly. ❤🇮🇪❤🇮🇪. Love from Ireland.

[wparo]

Now Tooting is being gentrified. 3 vape shops have already opened. And where Tooting lanes used to serve cheap lunches now you need a big wallet to afford to eat there.

[nativetexanful]

Brixton never became all black.   In the 1950s it became racially mixed.   It was a working class neighborhood, but recently, the low income people have been priced out of the area.

[marioneal]

I'm glad brixton has changed. I was born in brixton in 1968, as a child, drugs muggings and street robberies were common place. Both my parents were mugged. We are still here, love Brixton and welcome all the changes.

[jneal]

My parents Brixton grew up on Virginia walk estate in the 70s and 80s, when the area was a no go zone. My dad worked on the fruit and veg market on a teenager. Surprisingly they got priced out and moved to Bromley. The white working class in these areas are literally dead the only white geezas I know that live are a few mates that are professionals or working in banking/middle management and also guardian readers surprisingly

[gerryselondon]

To be fair, Lambeth used to be gentrified 70 years ago. It was only down to the bombing during the 2nd World War. It goes around in cycles. In the late 80's students starting moving in due to the relative cheap cost of living. I am sure people complain 60 odd years ago complained and the changes going on in Brixton. Places can never stay the same.

[anitaranson]

It's good to see stocking shop is still there was Saturday girl there in 1971! ! Having visited Brixton recently I agree the music, soul and vibrancy has sadly disappeared.

[Theincrediblespud]

Would the closing of record shops not be more to do with the digital age of music and the decline in popularity of reggae than gentrification? Just a genuine question

[giblesp]

Brixton was traditionally a middle class area, by the 70's it was violent and run down. Might be a source of nostalgia for you Alex, but for the rest of civilization, walking down the street with less bad boys and thieves is a good thing.

And by the way, all those previously poor familys are now sitting in houses and flats worth over half a million. Not too bad that.

[ramsey]

what i find strange is that when the black community moved into brixton and the white english moved out that was seen as ok the place went downhill became dangerous now some better off whites are moving in the blacks are complaining im missing something

[brendanw]

01:00 - yeah, record shops have been killed by gentrification. Also, it's a shame that this guy's clothes shop isn't as busy as it used to be, but I think the internet has helped that more than gentrification. There's big high street names that struggle against online purchases.

[alexanderson]

He seems to contradict himself alot, saying its all middle class now etc then saying oh it was great with all the squats and record shops. Surely squat free locations are positive? And the decline of records shops is due to the increase of downloads, nothing to do with gentrification

[simonyip]

My comment is not meant to be a racist comment, but it's worth remembering that before the West Indian and Pakistani and Bangladeshi etc communities moved into Brixton, Stockwell, Peckham etc or Shoreditch, Bethnal Green, Spitalfields etc back in the 50's-60's-70's etc the original white English, Irish, Jewish communities were also upset about the loss of their way of life and their own communities.
It's not something that I applaud or something that I would like to happen to my own childhood area, but progress and changes happen constantly, no matter how unfair it sometimes seems.

[MrScotia]

Same thing has happened in Leith/Edinburgh. Leith used to be a vibrant port and during the 70s and 80s the port declined when the World famous Henry Robb shipbuilders closed along with other industries. Now on the site of Henry Robb is the Ocean Terminal shopping centre which caters for the high end market despite Leith always being a working class area. The docks are gradually being closed down and replaced with thousands of expensive flats.House prices and rents have rocketed in Leith and now the area is full of some of the best restaurants in the UK. The area has seen massive improvements but not for the locals who still have to live in some of the small pockets of deprivation surrounded by some of the most expensive property in Scotland.

[wingaard]

This is a myth about gentrification. Brixton has always been an affluent area since it was built in the 18th Century. It was the influx of immigrants that saw the area become less desirable. It is simply reverting.

[ellismeah]

Gentrification, cleaning up the area makes sense, whoe's fault is it if London is over populated, and all the world wants to come and live there

[jchisholm]

I guess the only way to make these areas affordable is to undevelop them & returned them to their original state. It is not logical to expect a redeveloped area to remain the same value. Once somewhere is improved it becomes more desirable & so it's value increases.

[mechman]

Brixton has lost it roots of real hard men and the cockney urban era. I remember when I was 14 I loved going there to get my new era hats and NY hats they was the bollox! Oh and it was my 1st time I had curry goat! Live a bit of curried goat!

[LouisDadda]

So this guy successfully makes the case FOR gentrification 🤣