Ride of the Halloween Biker Gang sweeps through Brockley

Brockley's at its most beautiful and evocative on Halloween, when fog and firework smoke wreathes grand old Victorian homes lit by intricately carved pumpkins.

But this year, the citizens of Telegraph Hill and Hilly Fields were terrorised by a huge biker gang that tore through their area, riding on pavements and across the parks and generally being selfish dickheads, as biker gangs are wont to do.

100+ motorbikes with fireworks = hilly fields Halloween madness pic.twitter.com/EjPDAY2ty2

— Theo Harrison (@TheoTGH) October 31, 2015

7pm Hilly Fields tonight. @BrockleyCentral @CroftonParkLife @HillyFieldsCafe pic.twitter.com/pv84E0tYqJ

— Lionel Stanhope (@lionel_stanhope) October 31, 2015

@BrockleyCentral Brockley Rise pic.twitter.com/bTiMMBTv6l

— Nicola Mitchell (@nicmitch999) October 31, 2015

Remembrance Day Poppy Art Auction

I'm a local girl (Crofton Park) and have started my own business creating handmade Swarovski button art called Bijoux Buttons.

It's been going for 10 months and slowly building up a good following so I decided to donate a piece for charity.

I made a one off Remembrance Day Poppy design and will be donating 100% of the profits to the Royal British Legion.

I was inspired to do this after the huge response to the Tower Bridge ceramic poppies last year. I've had great support for the idea from Harry, manager of the SE London Royal British Legion fundraising office.

The piece is now live on eBay if people would like to bid for it. They have until Sunday, November 1st.

So Nisa Spar

The new Westside Spar opens tomorrow on Mantle Road and it's all anyone can talk about.

@BrockleyCentral Star studded opening this weekend of the new Spar on west side of Brockley station. pic.twitter.com/oEw8YX9s0T

— Matt 'k0nG' Collins (@k0nG) October 29, 2015

Its predecessor Nisa's grand opening was marred by the fact they got the area's name wrong - something which set the tone for the generally disappointing store experience that was to follow. The shop seemed optimised to flog as much chocolate as possible, to the detriment of everything else.

The new team is leaving nothing to chance. Not only have they installed a chiller from "gourmet grocers" Cook, but they've also hired "Corrie Butcher Ashley Peacock" to open the store tomorrow from 10am.

Archshark King launch night at the Ladywell Tavern

Ladywell-based Archshark King launch their debut album, Float & Kick, at the Ladywell Tavern tomorrow, Friday 30 October. Entry is free and there will be food and a special live set at 8pm from the act’s 11 musicians and singers. The evening also features food, lights, and festivity.

The album, Float & Kick, is now available at Bandcamp.

Don't say Daren, say Hovis

This is the Mock Tudor of outdoor advertising. Bill writes:

The old Daren Bread sign on Avignon Road (between Drakefell & St Asaph) has been painted over and replaced by a new one for Hovis Bread. This apparently has been commissioned by the new owners of the building.

 I feel this is a real tragedy but unfortunately, I don’t think much can be done to save the old sign as it is now painted over.

We are young

Young people are swarming over SE4 like locusts, kicking old people off their mobility scooters and shutting down the bingo halls as they go.

A study by Savills reckons Brockley is one of an admittedly very long list of London areas where Under 35s outnumber the Over 50s by a ratio of at least 2:1. The callow surge reached Brockley around the time of the East London Line's completion and overwhelmed the area faster than you can say "the new politics". The Telegraph reports:

In a land grab by the affluent U35s, reminiscent of the game of Risk, the wave of gentrification continues to sweep across London, leaving very few spots untouched and pushing up house prices.

As demand for new homes in the very centre of the capital slows, due to over-inflated prices and the impact of the Chancellor's stamp duty changes made last December, young techies and bankers have been making themselves at home in areas that, a decade ago, they would not have been seen in.

With thanks to Alastair.

Brockley's back gardens targeted by developers

A BCer who wishes to remain anonymous has been targeted by a property developer who's trying to buy a part of her garden, in order to develop housing at the back. She notes:

Since I don’t actually own the garden - the downstairs flat does - it’s a moot issue, and I am not sure how it would work in reality, as the houses are terraced and I presume access would only be gained via one of the mews (which is a long way away from where our property lies). Also, I’m pretty sure it would contravene the Conservation Area guidelines.

But interesting to note that Brockley is becoming so popular now they are trying to buy up our back gardens.

Brockley is blessed with very large gardens by the standards of zone 2/3 London and is prime territory for developers, but while BC supports filling in every bit of available brownfield land, the loss of these gardens would damage the character of the area, as well as starting a thousand wars between neighbours.