We’ve had another shufti around our Brixton photo archives and pulled out this collection of shots from our archives, showing a selection of scenes from around town in 2001 including this raver from the now-closed Telegraph pub.
Burnt out scooter, Loughborough Park.
Before Lambeth Council killed it dead, the annual Brockwell Park firework display were a real community highlight.
Brixton Village, formerly Granville Arcade, which stands on the site of the Lambeth Carlton Club.
Coldharbour Lane’s Gresham Cafe is long gone and My Fathers Place has been gentrified into the upmarket Shrub & Shutter cocktail bar.
Another sad loss is George’s barbers. His premises are now occupied by the considerably more expensive Tidy Hair.
These premises on Coldharbour Lane seemed to change owners every six months or so. One of the longer running businesses was the Juice Bar. It was good too.
A look inside.
Par Voi Res (aka Part Worn Tyres). The slowly deconstructing sign of this tyre shop was documented here.
Urban75 party in the long-gone Telegraph pub on Brixton Hill.
Despite music events being put on on the pub for 125 years, newly arrived residents (and Lambeth councillors) conspired to close down the venue in 2009. It’s now used as a Christian centre and flats. God 1 Clubbers 0.
Dancing at the Telegraph.
The former Voice newspaper building in Coldharbour Lane was briefly squatted before being secured by bailiffs.
Now buried under the Brixton Square private gated apartment block, Cooltan was once the beating heart of Brixton’s arts and activist scene, with the buildings providing accommodation for campaign groups such as Reclaim The Streets, Freedom Network, Earth First!, the Green Party, Lambeth Green Party and London Friends and Families of Travellers.
The squatted former unemployment office also housed rehearsal rooms, cinema screenings, yoga classes, galleries, studios and a cafe. The venue put on some incredible all night benefit parties – some attracted up to 1,500 people – where you might find a hardcore rave in one room, pastoral folk and jazz in another and bizarre performance art in another. It was a wonderfully eclectic and inclusive place.
Read: History of Cooltan Arts.
Full on fluoro rave coming up at the Fridge (now the Electric Brixton) with Escape from Samsara and Pendragon lined up.
Quiet scene at the Prince of Wales, Coldharbour Lane.
Looking west along Coldharbour Lane. The former Angel pub to the right (on the corner) is now an upmarket pizza joint.
Works on Brixton tube station went on for an eternity.
A car speeds along Coldharbour Lane.
Formerly the Helter Skelter restaurant on Atlantic Road, these premises hosted the late bar Tongue & Groove for several years. Our 2001 Brixton Bar and Club Guide offered this review:
Very stylish, friendly, laid back cocktail bar with an unusual ‘soft porn’ theme. Stretching all the way to the back of the bar is comfy, soft leather seating with a big leather bed by the door: great fun to slump all over after a few beers! It’s only going to be ‘open house’ for a short while before it moves to a membership only club, so get there quick! Bloody expensive beers though.
Diners at one of the regular urban75 Curry Club events, at the wonderful Khans on Brixton Station Road.
Barrington Road view.
Market stalls on the move, Coldharbour Lane.
Loughborough Park.
See more Brixton history:
On this blog
On the boards
On the comprehensive urban75 Brixton history archives
Lost pubs of Brixton
Fourteen years of drinking: a Brixton bar and club guide from 2001
