Attractions and Things to do in London’s Brixton

Brixton is a neighbourhood of London which is steeped in diverse cultures and where more than 130 languages are spoken and food from five continents is available in its markets. Its town centre is alive with the calls of street preachers, music and local personalities and the area offers a rich cultural heritage due to which it is a great place to visit. Brixton is located just south of the river Thames and is located less than 3 miles from Westminster and the Houses of Parliament. It is famous for its Caribbean heritage. Given below are some attractions and things to do in Brixton.

David Bowie Mural: Painted in 2013 by Australian street artist Jimmy C, this mural has become very popular ever since Bowie died in January 2016, more so because he was a Brixtonian having lived in Stansfield Road for a short period. Visitors from all across the globe visit this place to see the mural that has become an extremely famous piece of street art in Brixton.

Electric Avenue: This busy street market got its name as it was one of the first shopping streets to get electric street lighting installed in the late 19th century. The name also features in one of the chorus lines from the 1982 single sung by Eddie Grant – Rock Down to Electric Avenue. In October 2016, Eddie was back in Brixton to inaugurate a new light display that spells out the name of the street. The market offers an array of exotic foods from Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, South America as well as European foodstuff.

The Ritzy Picturehouse: Offering much more than a cinema, this place is a local cultural institution, a place for relaxing, eating and sitting outside on its outdoor terrace to do some people watching. It opened in 1911 as the Electric Pavilion and is one of the earliest purpose-built cinemas. This Grade II listed building has undergone several refurbishments during its lifetime and its exterior façade and main screen still retain much of the Edwardian features including the original prosceniuim arch.

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Brixton Cultural Archives: Opening in 2014 and being situated on Windrush Square, it is UK’s first dedicated Black heritage centre. Its archive collection has been growing steadily and provides an insight into the history of people of African and Caribbean descent in Britain. A programme of exhibitions and events that explore British history from a unique perspective is also presented and it offers free entry Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 – 18.00. Idris Elba is one of its patrons.

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Bookmongers: Although a Brixton landmark located on Coldharbour Lane, Bookmongers is not a place most visitors would think of visiting while touring Brixton. However, despite rapid redevelopment along this road, it is still trading in the same location for more than 20 years. This bibliophile’s heaven was set up by a Bostonian, Patrick Kelly, and it offers a place to explore secondhand books, relax for some time and perhaps buy a book or two to augment your private book collection!

Brixton Village & Market Row: These are two of the three covered markets in Brixton housed in Grade II listed buildings that are of historical interest. Brixton’s strong Afro-Caribbean culture and ambience are reflected in the markets’ socio-economic history. Moreover, these markets that opened in the 1930s were promoted to provide an alternative to shopping in the West End. They became the centre for buying familiar foodstuffs that would remind them of their home, for the Caribbean community by the 1960’s. A variety of goods from haberdashery to cookware were also sold at shops in the market. Presently popular eating places offering international cuisine can be seen in these markets but these markets also have several independent retail shops selling art, unique designer clothes, ethnic ware and jewellery, besides the food stalls.

Brixton Brewery, Brixton Station Road: Brixton also has a local micro-brewery located in one of the railway arches, away from the other shops. The micro-brewery was set up here in 2013 producing craft beers with names such as Windrush, Electric and Coldharbour that reflect the places and events in Brixton.

Brixton Academy: This popular music venue that started in 1929 as a cinema and theatre called the Astoria is now known as the O2 Brixton Academy. However, much of its original interior still exists in the art deco building. Boasting of having the largest fixed stage in Europe it created history when its opening show was the talking film The Singing Fool with Al Jolson who sang one of the film’s famous songs Sonny Boy. Presently, music giants such as Madonna, The Clash, Bob Dylan and Ed Sheeran have helped to put Brixton on the musical map.

Pop Brixton: A community initiative has helped to transform a disused plot of land into a platform for independent businesses from Brixton and Lambeth to develop and thrive. Live music sessions and other community events also take place here. It is open seven days a week till late.

Brixton Windmill at Blenheim Gardens: The windmill is also known as Ashby’s Mill after the Ashby family that was associated with the milling industry in Brixton since 1816. It might have been lost due to poor conditions but local residents who formed the ‘Friends of Windmill Gardens’ campaigned continuously that led to this solitary grade ll listed windmill getting lovingly restored. It is an eye-opener for visitors regarding the pre-industrial age of wind power that was really important for milling corn to make flour.