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BRIXTON BUGLE YOUR FREE
No 67 | OCTOBER 2018
Published monthly in and for Brixton
ISSN 2397-852X
COUNCIL IS TOLD IT MUST ACT ON NOISE Ruling comes as public asked to comment on licensing policy review
SURPRISE FOR AFEWEE’S STEADMAN SCOTT Steadman Scott, founder of Brixton’s renowned Afewee Academy, got the surprise of his life last month. He thought he was recording a short film promoting the National Lottery. The Lottery was filming – but its intention was to reunite Steadman with his 92-year-old mother, Melita Daley, whom he had not seen for more than 20 years. The film of the meeting featured on prime-time TV when he was honoured by the Lottery in its “Big Surprise” spot on ITV. Steadman said: “There really was no greater present someone could have given me than to see my
mother again. The very last thing I expected on a Wednesday training evening at Afewee Boxing Club was a visit from my mum. “It’s been incredible to show her everything we have achieved here. My mother is all about sharing and helping her community. Perhaps it’s in our DNA that I want to do the same through Afewee. Afewee has received more than £26,000 in funding from The National Lottery, including a grant of £6,334 in 2011 that was used to help establish the Boxing Academy in the wake of the London-wide riots of that year.
A council consultation on its licensing policy for entertainment venues that ends this month could have a major impact on Brixton’s nighttime economy. It comes as an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has revealed that Lambeth council failed to consider 6,354 noise complaints in the borough after a change of policy in 2016. The change – introduced to tackle the funding shortfall caused by central government cuts – meant that, unless more than three people complained, noise nuisance would not be investigated. Campaigners against noise from late-night street buskers in central Brixton earlier his year won another ombudsman ruling against the council’s inadequate response to noise complaints. The ombudsman says its latest investigation, that looked into a woman’s complaint about how the council handled her concerns about noise from a neighbouring flat, has led to the council agreeing to review its policy. The ombudsman found that the council was not meeting its statutory obligations and recommended that its policy be changed so that it does.
The ombudsman said Lambeth council had accepted the recommendations that were published on 24 August. Recognising it would be hard for it to look at every noise complaint since 2016, the ombudsman recommended that the council “should publicise the policy change locally, to ensure those affected are made aware”. The council has until 31 March next year to investigate complaints it previously refused to look into if the noise is still happening. Noise is likely to be a major issue in the consultation on its licensing policy that closes on 24 October. The consultation is required by law. The current licensing policy expires in January. The consultation comes as complaints about noise in Brixton continue and as campaigners in Hackney are opposing a new licensing policy there that, they claim, will force new venues to close at 11pm on weekdays and midnight at weekends. Licensing policy sets guidelines for regulating any business that sells alcohol, offers entertainment or provides “late-night refreshments”. AA The consultation is online at bit.ly/Lambeth-licensing.
COMMUNITY PAPER
FOOD FOR REAL PEOPLE Inside Nour Cash and Carry
WINDRUSH PORTRAITS Coming back to Brixton
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THE TIME HAS COME …
Farewell to Stuart the watchman 17
MUSIC IN THE PARK
Young talent wows audience
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