Lambeth Council has rejected an application for Brixton Splash 2016 because of concerns over public safety. In a post on the Lambeth News blog, the council announced its decision to cancel the event, which celebrated its tenth anniversary last year.
“Sadly, last year’s event became a victim of its own success and we need to pause it for this year, let the community take it back to its roots as a safe, fun event for everyone with professional organisation,” said a Lambeth spokesperson.
“Road closures, a lack of stewards and inadequate crowd control have added to a sense from local people that the event is too big, too uncontrolled and potentially dangerous.”
According to the blog post, more than 900 police officers were deployed at a cost of around £500,000 at the last Brixton Splash, and there were 40 arrests, 1 gun seized, 12 thefts, 9 thefts in person, 1 Actual Bodily Harm and 1 common assault.
Ros Griffiths, who helped to set up the street festival in 2006, said: “The community needs to reclaim this as a celebration of Brixton, not a free for all that creates chaos, mess and unease. I hope local people and businesses will rise to that challenge and get involved with planning Brixton Splash for 2017 that can once again be a safe, fun and genuine community event. We want to make the community and partners proud to be a part of Splash Brixton going forward”.
RELATED: In praise of Brixton Splash (but not the rubbish); What does Brixton Splash mean in 2015?
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I agree it’s a victim of its own success. I think it’s a shame it’s been cancelled, but that said the sheer volume of people alone irrespective of any behavioural issues meant that surely it did represent a public safety concern for fire service access for example? I came out of Brixton tube with my then 6 year old when last year’s Splash was in full swing and the atmosphere was fine, but the level overcrowding was overwhelming.
Blah blah more NIMBY talk. Just another example of the Gentrification of Brixton disguised as “public safety” concerns. The blatant ethnic cleansing continues
Ridiculous! What a shame for those who peacefully enjoyed the event. Mind you it was incredibly busy last year. Splash is a victim of its own success. Hopefully it will resume in 2017 and I do hope the Council presses ahead with the Lambeth Country Fair.
That’s a right shame but, like many street parties it was, annoyingly, a very busy event enjoyed by many yet too many folk had over indulged in the booze and drugs giving slash an unsavory ‘air’. That is to the detriment of a lot of locals and visitors, imo it didn’t feel safe or fun.
Perhaps I’m getting boring.
I agree entirely. It was not somewhere I felt safe, and the traffic diversions meant buses and speeding down residential streets they would not normally go down, at speeds they shouldn’t even drive down Acre Lane. It just wasn’t fun any more.