Your only FREE INSIDE... community newspaper Little brother to Brixtonblog.com THE ELECTRIC BRIXTON BRIXTONBugle LOWDOWN: Find out Edition 31 | April 2015 | FREE www.brixtonblog.com | @brixtonblog about this iconic landmark’s transformation into an updated music venue that’s here >>> SCHOOL GROUND SOUNDS, p20 >>> WHAT’S ON p18-19 >>> THE FINAL MS. BENNETT COLUMN, p22 >>> SPORT, p23-24 >>> to stay. Features, p 15 Anger at GET TO KNOW GHOSTPOET The musician chats about his new album and Electric Brixton gig, as well as a possible cultural name change. Arts, p13 cutback •MINET LIBRARY TO BE SOLD IN £4M fuNDINg CuT •CuLTuRE CONSultation BRANDED ‘pOINTLESS’ BRIXTON PEOPLE Up and coming actress Ashley Casely- Hayford explains how a career •COuNCIL SAYS IT IS LISTENINg TO RESIDENTS FURIOUS: Protestors outside Lambeth Town Hall change two years ago seems to be paying off. Feature, p14 BY ANNA MCKIE community groups take over running said the sale of Minet Library, in enough room and the space there is three others, cuts to the remaining Knatchbull Road, Brixton, was isn’t suitable anyway. The government Friends of Lambeth’s libraries and five libraries, as well as cuts to park particularly worrying because it is cuts are obviously a huge problem but parks, including those in Brixton, budgets and having friends’ groups or home to the Lambeth Archives. some of these plans, like selling Minet, have criticised Lambeth council for its communities take over the running He told The Bugle “Selling Minet seem like panic measures... and they proposals to reduce cultural services. of the borough’s green spaces as not only robs the community of their are doing things they can’t undo.” They have branded its Culture 2020 “charitable trusts”. local lending library but it threatens Colette Thomas, chair of Lambeth consultation “pointless” and said that Friends of Lambeth Libraries said it the Archives. They are the history and Green Parks and Spaces Forum, is no the council do not understand the is “appalled” by the proposals and that memory of the borough, and one of more positive about Culture 2020. seriousness of what they are doing. it has “no doubt more sensible savings the best collections in London. “Asking a ‘friends group’ - a The proposals include the sale of could be made.” “The council have proposed they role of a council to manage major Waterloo and Minet Libraries, having Bill Linskey from Brixton Society go to Brixton Library but there isn’t Continued on page 3 PARISSI PERFECTION This gem of an eaterie on Atlantic Road delights the palate with simply satisfying >>>>>>>>>>> cressingham gardens blow P4 >>>>>>>>>>>>>> ingredients. Food, p17 www.brixtonblog.com @brixtonblog It’s all about sales Brixton letting property managment 0207 274 3111 edenharper.com 2 NEWS www.brixtonblog.com April 2015 ThE BRixTon BuglE & SHOOTING BRixTonBlog.com Man jailed for ‘violent are edited in Brixton by IN DULWICH Zoe Jewell and Tim Dickens. Police have begun a hunt for Both the website and newspaper are rampage’ in Brixton a gunman after a teenage boy published by a not-for-profit was shot in the stomach in community organisation. A man has been jailed for life after head and wrists. She told officers Dulwich. it’s run by a committed team pleading guilty to murdering his ex- Brooks had attacked her. Police were called to South of people from Brixton. wife and trying to kill his girlfriend. Police then found the body of Croxted Road at 3pm on On July 29 2013 Desmond Brooks, Keisha McKenzie inside the hallway. March 24, after being alerted Brixton Blog and Bugle from Brixton, went on a “violent She had very severe stab wounds and by ambulance crews. 439a coldharbour lane rampage”. her teeth had been smashed. They found a 17-year-old Brixton Police were called to a residential Brooks had a seven-year-old son boy with a gunshot wound to SW9 8ln address in Redlands Way, following with Keisha who witnessed the his abdomen. » Tel 020 3730 1312 reports that a woman had been horrific murder of his mother. He was taken to a south » @brixtonblog stabbed. A manhunt was then launched London hospital in a critical » @brixton_bugle They found Brooks’ then girlfriend for Brooks. That night he boarded a condition. » www.brixtonblog.com Joan Wade, 46, suffering from a bus in Streatham, telling the driver: It appears he was shot near number of injuries, including stab “The first police you see, could you Seely Drive, and rode off on a ADVERTiSing wounds. flag them down. It’s me they’re moped before being treated by Jenny Shramenko Their three-year-old son was at the looking for.” paramedics in South 07811 878394 house at the time of the incident. He told officers he had killed his Croxted Road. [email protected] She managed to tell one of the wife and hurt his baby mother. He Police have said no arrests police officers on the scene that her said: “I couldn’t take it anymore both have been made. circulation: 10,000 copies “baby father” - Brooks - had carried nagging me everyday, disrespecting Readership: circa 15,000 out the assault. me in front of others, couldn’t take Police were then called to Tilson it anymore man.” DEPuTY EDiToRS Gardens, SW2, following reports that Brooks is now facing at least 29 london’S Keith lewis lindsay Faller two women had been attacked. years in prison after pleading guilty to Officers discovered Saffron murder, attempted murder and assault slowEst Sub-editor: Jamila omar Yeboah-Simpson, then aged 17, with occasioning grievous bodily harm. Designer: Agnes graves a number of severe cuts to her face, intErnET A Brixton road has been been nEWS awarded the title of “London’s Anna mcKie, news Editor slowest street for broadband.” [email protected] Cowley Road was discovered to have the worst internet FEATuRES speeds in central London Katrin magnussen Distressing bus crime by price comparison site [email protected] uSwitch.com. BY ANNA MCKIE from a nearby shop. during which the two young victims Broadband speeds on ARTS & muSic The teenagers were then taken were terrified by threats made by the Cowley Road average just 1.41 Barney Evison Ruth Waters Two teenage boys were forced to to a stairwell of a block of flats in suspect, who intimated he was in megabits per second (mps), [email protected] fight, steal and perform a sex act Walworth where he forced one of possession of a knife. compared with 38.88 mps on each other during a “distressing” the boys to perform a sex act on “He used their fear to control them on London’s fastest street for FooD miss South attack on February 11. the other. and force them to effectively do as broadband, Westbourne Park [email protected] At 7.55pm, two teenage boys The suspect then walked away from he said. Road, W11. boarded a 133 bus in Brixton. A man the area in an unknown direction. “Despite their young age, the The study found that Cowley SPoRT Sandra Brobbey who had got on the bus at the same Police released a CCTV image of victims have been incredibly brave Road’s average speed is 50 [email protected] time approached the boys, who were a man they would like to speak to in coming forward and providing times slower than the fastest sat on the top deck, and told them following the incident. information to the police and I would street in Britain. Sandy Lane in he had a knife. A 14-year-old boy appeared at praise them for this.” Cannock, Staffordshire, has an iSSuE 31 According to police, he then forced Camberwell Youth Court on March Anyone with information is asked average speed of 72.86 mps. Writers: Bobbie lakhera, the pair off the bus in the Elephant 21 and was remanded to the care of to contact police on 020 8721 Siobhan Davies, 32, said: Pictures: nick Weedon, David gibson, and Castle area. the local authority. 4621, or contact Crimestoppers “I tried to load my husband’s The boys were led to a park in Trainee Detective Constable Amy anonymously on 0800 555 111 or Facebook profile last week cartoons / illustrations: Newington Butts, where they were Beautridge said: “This was a most at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. and it took three days. It’s Kaylene Alder, Pam Williams forced to fight each other and steal unusual and distressing crime, ridiculous.” crossword: Josie gardiner columnists: Alison Alexander, Frankie holah, ms Bennett GANG RAids All change at Brixton Pound Six men have been arrested A massive thank you to everybody after police carried out raids in involved in making this issue, and the Coldharbour Lane, Brixton. Blog & Bugle project, a success. The Brixton Pound has They have also launched a new website at www. On March 10, police also recently launched a new brixtonpound.org with help from Graham Woodruff, seized crack cocaine, heroin branding and website, as well who works with the Bristol Pound. and cannabis, along with as making changes to the way The online B£ account system has been updated. Users £7,000 cash, as part of customers pay. and businesses have greater control over their profiles the raids. Charlie Waterhouse from and they have got rid of the PIN needed for the pay-by- They were the result of an local design agency This Ain’t text payment system. operation led by the Trident Rock’n’Roll, who is responsible Brixton Pound said: “The currency actively strengthens Central Gangs Unit to target for the paper notes, created Brixton’s independent businesses, builds a more connected gang members involved in the new logo (left).