How Brixton's arcade got a new lease of life

Not so long ago, Brixton was known mainly for riots. But mention it to Londoners now and they're more likely to associate it with Rosie's Deli Café or Franco Manca of Market Row. That's just the start.

Live bands, street-performers and short film screenings are just a small selection of the events taking place at the new Thursday night markets in Brixton's Granville Arcade. Traders chat outside their shops, kids play in the avenues and there's not a table to be had at any of the restaurants. Everything spills out into the courtyard at the front, where the air is heavy with smoke from the huge grill of Jamaican café Take 2wo.

It hasn't always been like this, though. In October last year, every second unit in the arcade lay empty. Then the landlords, London Associated Properties, approached Lambeth council as they hoped to do something creative with their empty shops and attract new tenants into the bargain. The council introduced them to Space Makers, an agency founded by Dougald Hine which specialises in finding ways to make the best use of underused space. Hine persuaded LAP to hand over 20 empty units for a three-month rent-free trial period and advertised for participants.

He said: "We were looking for a mix of temporary projects that would bring energy and attract people back to the market, and also businesses we thought had a real chance of being able to make it in the long term." After an open evening 98 people applied for a space and 30 were chosen.

The first new shops opened in December. "We prioritised people who already had an association with Brixton but we were also looking for ideas that wouldn't compete with existing businesses and that would connect with those in the market already," says Hine.

One was Ian Riley, who runs Brixton Cornercopia deli and café with his partner, Annie. "I try to source my ingredients from the market," he says. "I get lamb from Los Andes, a Colombian butchers, and fish from Gareth at Degons. Buying off people helps you get to know them."

Much of the produce for sale in the deli comes from the allotments of local residents. Many traders accept the Brixton Pound, introduced last year to help support the local economy. There's a community spirit you'd be hard pressed to find at Westfield.

"Everyone helps each other and we exchange things," says 25-year-old Margot, who runs French vintage clothing boutique Leftovers. "The fishmonger asked me to sew the hem of his trousers and gave me some squid and I stitched tablecloths for one of the restaurants and got a free meal."

Not all the recent tenants came via Space Makers' initiative but all agree that the project was the catalyst for the market's transformation.

"Last year the market was dying," says Hine, "but to look at it now and to feel the energy and see people's commitment makes everyone's hard work absolutely worthwhile."