Brixton Blog moves to a new site

By Zoe Jewell, Editor

We have exciting news – almost two years after it began, Brixton Blog is moving to a new website, www.brixtonblog.com, and combining forces with Tim Dickens, the man behind the Brixton Bugle. The website will cover news, culture, features and local history on a daily basis and will, we hope, be a trusted source for all who live in – or want to find out about – Brixton. We want to report on and foster debate in a place we are passionate about.

This is one of the first posts for the Brixton Blog I have written in the first person and credited to my own name. I have always strived not to be an overbearing personality on the site, to remain truthful to the subjects I have covered and give others a place to write about where they live. Yet the Brixton Blog has also been a very personal project to create an online space for news and views about the area I grew up in and love very much.

If there is one regret I have, it is not having looked the fast-moving change in Brixton squarely in the eye and reported on the full effects of gentrification here, both positive and negative.

And my, Brixton has changed since I set up the Brixton Blog two years ago in 2010. My first article was about the Spacemaker project in its first few months. Little did I know what was to come.  There are a feast of new, wonderful restaurants to choose from in the town centre now, but there are also many who feel excluded by this new Brixton or who do not even register it in their lives. Will the change continue at this pace? How will it affect the old traders and what will happen to the surrounding areas in Brixton? We plan to report on all of this at the new Brixton Blog.

Running Brixton Blog alone with a full-time job has meant that the blog hasn’t yet fulfilled all its potential. This will all change as we move to a new site. We want to be a proper, considered, fun online newspaper about Brixton. We plan to keep the council to account, report on crime and look at the effects of the cuts in Lambeth, as well as write features, profile brilliant Brixtonites and tell some of our local history.

We are soft launching tomorrow, so bear with us as we get everything up and running. It might be a month or so before all systems are running smoothly but we hope you stay with us – and above all send all your comments, questions, criticisms to info@brixtonblog.com, because we’d love to hear them.

RECIPE: Lebkuchen

It’s okay to talk about Christmas now that December has begun. Here, Brixton food blogger Miss South introduces us to the delights of the German Lebkuchen

Christmas is coming! Which means you’re either running around like a headless chicken trying to do all your shopping or you’re cosied up indoors enjoying the season. Either way you’ll need a simple seasonal treat to see you through. Brixton may not have a German market (although it has every other sort) but don’t let that stop you from indulging in these traditional German biscuits or Lebkuchen.A spiced cookie similar to gingerbread, these are bursting with festive flavours and are the easiest thing in the world to make. Best of all, you can get everything you need to do so in the wonderful Nour Cash and Carry for about a third of the cost of popping to Tesco. So stock up and impress everyone this year with freshly baked biscuits in no time.

(Recipe adapted from BBC Good Food)
250g plain flour
85g ground almonds
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves, black pepper, nutmeg, mace, allspice (use all or just which ones you have)
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
200ml clear honey or 100ml honey and 100g dark brown sugar
85g butter
1 lemon , finely grated zest

FOR THE ICING

100g icing sugar
1 egg white , beaten

Preheat your oven to 200C and melt the butter, honey and sugar together on the stove. Measure your dry ingredients into a large bowl and then add the liquid when completely melted. Combine together well until a slightly fudgy dough. This should take about 5 minutes.

Pinch off walnut sized pieces of the dough, roll into a ball and then flatten out on a lined baking tray, leaving enough room to spread out slightly. The dough should yield about 30 cookies so you’ll probably only be able to bake half at one time. Cover the dough to stop it drying out in this case. You can also freeze the cookies and simply cook for a minute or two longer when needed. Just put some greaseproof paper between them when freezing.

You want to cook the biscuits until golden and still slightly soft so check after 10 minutes but don’t be surprised if they need up to 15 minutes. Leave them on the tray for about 2 minutes to firm slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes so you can ice them.

The icing is firmer with the egg white and less likely to drip, but if it’s a waste of an egg for you, just mix the icing sugar into a stiffish paste with some water and use that instead with the back of a teaspoon or a pastry brush. Allow to dry for a moment or two and then get stuck in!

These are equally good with a cup of tea as with some mulled wine. They are soft and chewy, thanks to the almonds, with a warming tingle of spice than knocks the shopbought ones into a cocked hat. Simple enough to make with the kids, they’ll impress everyone this Christmas and keep well in a tin if you happen to have any leftover. I have a feeling they’ll be a Christmas tradition in your house year after year…

Miss South blogs at North South Food

‘Brixton Experience’: Saturday 26 November

The Brixton Market Traders Federation is launching a month-long celebration of Brixton market with a big event on Saturday 26 November. Around 40 local businesses will set up stalls in the market, representing four categories – food, fashion, creative arts and media, and lifestyle. The businesses must be based within a 400m radius of the station and will include high-street shops as well as independent ones. Named the ‘Brixton Experience’ (bit cringe?), the month-long series of events is funded by the Mayor of London’s High Street Support Scheme Fund (a post-riots initiative to get London businesses back on their feet). It will also include business clinics run by Lambeth Enterprise and workshops with local makers from Makerhood.

Brixton Recipe: Apple and Quince Cobbler

In the first our new guest food blogs, Miss South of North South Food shares her recipe for apple and quince cobbler. With Brixton ingredients of course…

Despite the last gasp of summer a few weeks ago, we have to accept autumn is with us again. It happens to be my favourite time of year with those slightly crisp sunny days, the smell of bonfires in the evenings and the abundance of harvest everywhere around us. The trees and bushes are groaning with plenty and the markets are a joy. It was no difficulty to choose a recipe where the ingredients could be bought or foraged or a mixture of both.

Nothing says autumn to me more than fruit topped with carbs, but it is possible to tire of crumble. So try a cobbler instead. Similar to a scone mixture, it gives a new fluffy dimension to fruit. I’ve used apples (from Brixton Blog’s own garden) and quinces from A&C Continental Deli on Atlantic Road, but Perry Court Farms are doing beautiful English apples at Brixton Farmers’ Market and you might know someone in Lambeth with a quince tree…

I used three Braeburn sized apples and one large quince to make enough for four people. I did measure the cobbler topping to make life easier for you. Start by peeling your quince. They have a sticky feel and are tricky to peel cleanly. Slice thinly and cover with lemon juice as they discolour instantly. Pop in the oven at 180℃ or Gas Mark 4 for about 30 minutes as they take much longer to cook than the apples.

While the quinces are filling the house with a beautiful perfumed fragrance, prep your apples. Peel and slice and cover with water. Then turn to your topping. You’ll need:

100g plain flour
50g cold butter
50g sugar
4 tablespoons milk (approx 60mls)
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or cinnamon (your choice)
50g walnuts, hazelnuts or cobnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

It’s very simple to make and the kids can easily get involved. Add the flour and butter and rub the butter into it the flour til it resembles breadcrumbs, like you do with crumble or scones. Add in the sugar and then beat in the egg and milk (and vanilla or cinnamon) gently and quickly until just combined.

Take the quince out of the oven and mix in the apples, making sure it’s even. I didn’t add sugar as I prefer my fruit tart and tangy. You could if you like. Spoon the cobbler batter over the top of the fruit. It’s quite runny. Then top with the chopped nuts for extra crunch and flavour. Pop in the oven at 200℃ or Gas Mark 6 for about 20-25 minutes for individual cobblers or 40-45 minutes for a large cobbler or until golden and crunchy. Cool slightly and serve as it is or with ice cream or a large dollop of clotted cream. You can also prepare these in advance and simply reheat when needed.

The apple is tart and works perfectly with the sweet fragrant quince. The topping is light and fluffy and the cobnuts I used (also from Perry Court) added a gorgeous creamy crunch that made this feel a bit more grown up and less like nursery food than it might. Celebrate autumn in style with this perfect dessert. Perfect on a Sunday tea-time after a leisurely trip to Brixton Farmers’ Market!

Debate: Brixton Village – price rises and rent hikes

Brixton Blog asked its Twitter readers what they thought of recent price rises in some of the new eateries in the indoor markets, particularly Granville Arcade/’Brixton Village’. Prices have gone up Federation Coffee, Brick Box and Kaosarn among others. While some felt less able to support the local businesses, others pointed to the rent rises and inflation (at a three-year high today) traders are facing themselves which mean they have to pass on the cost to the customer. Still others argued that most of the restaurants are still relatively cheap for the quality of food they serve.

First, some background to the development of the Granville Arcade. In 2009, the owners at the time, London Associated Properties, worked with Spacemakers to “entice new retailers into a location that had suffered over the years from high vacancies and low investment”. It has been suggested by some that new businesses receiving positive press then allowed the owners to increase the rents in the market.

Here is the LAP Annual Report from 2010:

“Our two markets in Brixton have seen strong performers in terms of rental growth…Since 2009, we have spent considerable time and effort in re-branding the markets as more exciting places to shop, with a particular emphasis on quality food and restaurants as well as cutting edge fashion. The net result of this input is that rents have grown by some 8% and Brixton Village, on eof the markets, is fully let for the first time in some 20 years. … We have plans to work with a leading market operator to ensure the next phase of this asset’s growth. 

While this project has been a success throughout 2010, we do not feel LAP has the resources to develop Brixton Markets further. Consequently, since the year end we have agreed terms to let the two markets to In Shops Ltd, a subsidiary of Groupe Geraud, Europe’s largest private market operator. The leases are at a base rate of £817,500 per annum with a profit share on the net rent above that amount.”

So LAP now lets the market to In Shops Ltd, who specialise in shopping centres across the UK and are owned by Groupe Geraud.

 Here are your tweets (some rather more than 140 characters):

@Lucy Caldicott  I was amazed the calzone at Agile Rabbit only £4 yesterday. Still really cheap. Bread Room coffee and croissant only £2

@TheBrixtonite LAP doesn’t own the market. Their rents and service charges have been increasing every month & the new owners want more money 4 late nights. SMH at moaning Brixtonians. Brixton Village traders have kept prices as low as they can while Geraud the market’s owners have upped rents.

All we do is moan! We treat that market like our own personal playground & forget that it is a business.Landlord increases the rent & service. service charges. Where do you think the traders will get the money to cover those increases? Why not petition Geraud to stop the unfair rent increases instead of moaning at the traders? & if y’ll took the time to ask the traders how they are doing, then you’ll know that they are stuck btwn a rock & a hard place in BrixVill. If they speak out against the rents,they risk the owners cutting off their contracts because the market is so popular &someone will pay more. But they want to stay as many have been there from the beginning. The management office is in Market Row. Let the owners know how you feel

@BrixtonVillage yes rents and service charges have been increased. LAP does not own Brixton Village

@lukewaterfield I think it’s in the interests of @brixtonvillage places to have this out – bit of a PR disaster waiting to happen. The popularity will pass – and their survival will rely on loyalty – same as everything in brixton.

If they’re being pressured into price rises by increases in rent/service charges etc – they should let people know.

@memespring poss initial low rents coming to an end? LAP always saw the project as a way of raising (annual report suggested so anyway). details of the report here: urban75.net/forums/threads…

@annawaltz price increases are a thankless way to treat customers who made those places popular by word of mouth. They lose their charm.

@ClaireWinship14 yep the rent is supposedly £7k a month I was told that by a shop owner, not sure if that price is OTT but yep changes occuring!

@daisydumps shame ppl complaining. Amazing thing on our doorstep. BYO policy and no taxi home equals cheap and fabulous. Also give brickbox a break. Not for profit and a caiphirinia to knock your socks off for £4.50?!

Something original, non-chain, cool, cheap and exciting lands right on your doorstep…complaints start. Bizarre.

@cornishop @daisydumps @BrixtonBlog @jayrayner1 exactly. i feel very lucky we have brixvill. it’s a (secular) miracle

@tash_mous I def now think twice about impromptu week dinners out in ‘Brix Vill’ whereas before I’d be there every Weds/Thurs in a flash.

But Brix still reasonable compared to most London! It’s usual thing of ppl getting used to cheap products+expecting to be norm

@Brixton_Bugle Do we know what In Shops Ltd plan to do? Increase rents further I presume…

@ejoftheweb  food costs also a factor. plus demand pull. tenants are businesses not charities. They should charge what they can get.

@dougiewoo
@jayrayner1 :if the @brixtonvillage price hikes r because of you, such is life! We should all be promoting Brixton!!

@lukewaterfield @dougiewoo @jayrayner1 @brixtonvillage @BrixtonBlog To the detriment of who though? Inevitable consequence is local people priced out.

@dougiewoo RT @lukewaterfield: @jayrayner1 @brixtonvillage @BrixtonBlog – fair point but you would hope there could be some sensibility there…

@lukewaterfield @dougiewoo @jayrayner1 @brixtonvillage @BrixtonBlog Not seeing it yet. Not sure how many people who work locally can afford a £7 lunch.

@kate_t re.prices, still a great value evening though given its BYO, happy to pay a bit more to keep it worthwhile for the restaurants

@gbbailey Given the popularity of the place it’s hardly surprising. Shame though.

@jayrayner1 and so it begins. I imagine you’ve had a few claiming it’s all my fault.

@nickwood if the demand is there (and it is!) then the prices will follow… I don’t think you can blame them – second outlets to follow?

@natasha_gould from experience, Kaosarn prices went up after the first Jay Rayner review and portions went down. We stopped going after that. it’s a shame. all for supporting local business and healthy capitalism, but when you are fighting for a seat you feel exploited

@northsouthfood I think Kaosarn has gone downhill as well as up in price. But what folk expect? Food prices are up everywhere, so is rent!

@princess_knicks I dunno about shop rent in the village but my landlord just discovered brixton is hot and hiked my flat rent up

 @MsVanessaG could be an umfortunate consiquence of new landlords increasing rents and service charges.

@dougiewoo – Would be a shame if places have increased prices but is it due to greedy landlords that may once again ruin a good thing?

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