I’ve been reading the Mayor’s night-time strategy work for London. Underneath the frameworks, it’s really asking one question: what has to be true for a place to feel safe, welcoming, and worth staying out for — and for everyone who uses it after dark to coexist? I’m writing this as a Brixtonian who cares deeply about Brixton, and as someone who spends an unusual amount of time listening to the people who keep it alive. Through Impact Brixton, I’m in close proximity to hundreds of locals, creators, founders and operators. Through Brixton Culture Capital, I speak to business owners, venue teams, creatives, organisers, and people with long memories of what Brixton used to feel like at night. I’m writing this to make sense of what’s changing, not to point fingers.
The evidence