Image: Sara Haq, SMA Associate
The first wave of new shops and projects are now open at Brixton Village — come down and visit us!
Background
Brixton Village is a 1930s indoor market in the heart of Brixton. Also known as Granville Arcade, it is home to a range of businesses, but by mid-2009 a significant number of its shops were unoccupied.
In October 2009, Space Makers Agency agreed a project with Lambeth Council and LAP, the building’s owners, to bring a range of new temporary and permanent occupants into the market. Twenty shop units are currently being made ready for occupation and LAP are offering people the opportunity to take on a unit, rent free, for up to three months.
Space Makers has been looking for proposals for creative, community-oriented and enterprising projects to make use of a space, ranging from new and existing businesses, to community groups, arts and theatre projects and other imaginative uses of space.
350 people turned up to the Space Exploration night we ran on 10th November. Following that, there was a seven day window to apply for the first phase of the project. A swift selection process took place — and in late November we announced the winning projects.
The winners rolled up their sleeves and got busy transforming their units into an array of magical worlds and spaces which link the market’s history and its existing businesses with long-term visions for a sustainable local economy. On 17th December 2009, the first wave of these new businesses and projects celebrated their launch — watch the video here.
Another wave of new spaces and events will be launching at Brixton Village in early 2010 – with the aim of building the market into a destination full of surprising and unique shops which will draw visitors from across London, while supporting the long-term future of the local economy in Brixton.
