‘Food, fashion, music and events’ the new priorities for Brixton’s indoor markets

Brixton Village, the name created by the owners to “brand” Brixton’s two large indoor markets is recruiting a public relations expert to promote it.

The “experienced storyteller” will create a strategy to “improve footfall and grow commercial property viability”.

Crucial will be shaping Brixton Village “as London’s destination for Food, Fashion, Music and Events”.

The marketing and communications manager will work closely with another new post in the Brixton Village set-up, an events and cultural programme co-ordinator.

A long job description is full of marketing jargon – “Work with data and insights to evaluate end-to-end customer experience across multiple channels and customer touch points” – that is a long way from the traditions of the two markets – Market Row and Granville Arcade.

Expected to “deliver more for less” the new marketing manager will be charged with getting the message across that Brixton Village has a 365-days-a year events calendar.

They will also “establish strong working relationships with all retailers, involving them in the delivery of the marketing, PR, and social media plan.”

The markets are owned in a joint venture by the New York based finance giant Angelo Gordon and the London-registered micro-entity company Hondo Enterprises. The companies that actually control the markets are registered in Amsterdam.

The new manager will have plenty of challenges to deal with apart from increasing footfall and promoting music events.

Plans for a massive office and leisure development, including a 20-storey tower, adjoining Granville Arcade with frontages on Pope’s Road and Brixton Station Road have been approved by Lambeth council after bitter opposition from campaigners.

They are convinced that it would destroy what is left of Brixton’s unique character, dating from the arrival of the Windrush Generation in the second half of the 20th century.

The plans have been “called in” by the mayor of London, but his officers are recommending that they be allowed to go ahead. No date has yet been set for a hearing.

Much stress is placed on social media in the job description for the new manager.

A largely social media based campaign over the fate of Nour Cash and Carry saw Hondo Enterprises, which runs the markets on a day-to-day basis, come under immense pressure.