Big Yellow - An Apology

That’s it, turn the music down! You can stop smoking your drugs, I’m making tea and toast for Sophie and I’m putting on Radio 4 – everything’s normal! I’m not really high on drugs, so you can stop talking your nonsense on my time.
- Mark, Peep Show

Big Yellow, pre-opening

A couple of weekends back we staggered out of a Myatt Garden School Disco hopped up on fizzy drinks and the adrenaline of being made to do a dad dance with 50 other parents. As we walked down Rokeby Road towards Lewisham Way, we were overcome by the beauty of Brockley’s new Big Yellow.

It glowed like ET’s spaceship – each of its illuminated doors hiding a mystery. It was an almost spiritual presence on otherwise dark streetscape.

In the past, Brockley Central argued against Big Yellow being given permission to develop that site – not because of its design – but because of its function. We said that it would be a large and impersonal feature on what we should be striving to turn in to a busy high street. We said it would encourage heavy car use at a spot where pedestrians should be. Looking at it that night and again the next day we think we were entirely wrong. It will add a little bit of life, as well as beauty.  It’s not designed as a drive-in, it looks like a walk-in. It could be a capsule hotel or a live-work office development. It brings utility and activity. It gives so much and asks so little.

Big Yellow – we’re sorry. Welcome.