Description
History
Roman roads going south over the river Effra characterised rural Brixton until the 18th century when villages formed nearby. Residential development started in the early 19th century, promoted by the opening of Vauxhall Bridge in 1816 and then the railway stations in the 1860s. The area was affluent and was famous for the first electrically lit shopping street in London in 1880. This was evident in its name - Electric Avenue. In the 1920s Brixton was a thriving shopping centre but declined through the next decades, partly as a result of severe bomb damage in World War 2. After this Brixton became a centre of Caribbean immigration which contributed to the special character of the area. There have been troubled times, including the riots in 1981 and the bombing of the market in 1999. Recent times have seen a regeneration of the area and it has become one of the trendiest in London.
Leisure & Amenities
Places to go and things to do:
- Brixton Academy
- Ritzy Cinema
- Pop Brixton
Active Life:
- Brixton Recreation Centre
- Brockwell Park and Lido
Eating and drinking ideas:
- Gremio de Brixton - tapas below St Matthew's church
- Franco Manca pizza
- Bamboula - Jamaican cooking
- Casa Morita - cocktails and food
- Pop Brixton - many food & drink options
Transport
- Brixton underground station is on the Victoria line
- Brixton rail station serves Southeastern trains.
- Many buses run through Brixton to south London and across the river to the north.
Education
- Lambeth College is on Brixton Hill.