From red light to green: vice district blooms into gardens

One of London's worst red-light districts has been transformed by a community garden where residents grow their own food and flowers.

Josephine Avenue in Brixton was a haunt of kerb crawlers and prostitutes, until locals decided to take action.

They took over a derelict plot of land used by the trade, clearing it of litter and weeds and bringing in donated plants from nearby Brockwell Park.

Now it is a thriving market garden, where crops grown include potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, green beans, leeks and radishes.

The move has proved so popular that earlier this month residents reclaimed a second plot of open land on the street and turned it into a garden for children. It has been planted with "quick grow" produce like cress, sunflowers and parsley, so youngsters will be able to see the results of their hard work within a few weeks. "The change in the area is really amazing," said Louise Belson, secretary of the Josephine Avenue Group of residents. "Before there was prostitution and God knows what going on here, now it is a real community garden.

"This is a lovely Victorian, tree-lined street, but the open areas had fallen into disrepair, and the shade of the trees had attracted prostitution, kerb crawling, drug abuse and dealing. It really has been dire to live here.

"But this work has made a tremendous difference in reclaiming the open spaces, and people have become very enthusiastic gardeners."

Sally Prentice, Lambeth council's environment chief, added: "It's fantastic to see the community all pulling together to make a lasting difference to their area."

Last October the Standard revealed the problems in Josephine Avenue - along with Brixton Hill and other nearby streets - were considered so severe they were some of the first areas in London where police and councils used injunctions to keep kerb crawlers and drug dealers out of the area.

So far three prostitutes have been given injunctions, and any caught breaching the order face jail. The council says complaints have plummeted since the injunctions were made.

Evening Standard is campaigning to encourage Londoners to grow their own fruit and vegetables. It is working with Rosie Boycott, Boris Johnson's "food czar", on a project to get a garden into all of the capital's 2,300 primary schools.