Wednesday 15 July 2009

The Exhibition Shots

Tasleem Elahi
Trading Post
Coldharbour Lane
Shop Owner
“Recently it’s got better around here. There used to be a terrible drug and prostitution problem but its cleaned up allot, although its still here. In the summer Loughborough Junction has so much character but in the winter things are dead. I suppose it’s got everything for you here really. I’ve been here since the sixties and it was better back then. People were easy going. These days i like the Polish people, they’re easy going compared to other Londoners. Nobody really mixes cultures in London. I think things will get even worse.”

Fluximus and Veereal
Music and Vision
Arch 264 Coldharbour Lane
Music & Vision are a non-profit organisation within the Lambeth community. There aim is to provide educational training of the arts, media and music to improve the lives of people within the local community. “It’s been a struggle to keep our heads above water lately, but we’ll keep working hard and keep looking for new financial support.”


The Platform at Loughborough Junctions Train Station (above)

Police on Loughborough Estate (above)

Agron Alia
Hinton Hand Car Wash
39, Albanian, Previously worked as a science teacher
“I’ve had this car wash business for two years, it’s a good business because there are lots of Caribbean’s in the area and they not only love their cars, but they love to have them clean, especially the alloys. They boys (his staff) and me don’t mind the area, we have had trouble a couple of times from people not wanting to pay for the cars we cleaned. Also the children in the area need to have more respect for the adults, they need discipline from their families and community, I don’t mean beating them up, but just teaching them more respect. Also there could be more choice for food around here, I go to the café for lunch, but my staff eat too many chicken and chips”

Ian Payne and Barney
Ron Dowding and Taz
Mayflower MG & VW Services
Hinton Road
“I wouldn’t say it’s a ‘nice’ area but it’s better than it was”



Agron Alia and his boys at the carwash (above)


Loughborough Road, Mobile Home Caravan, left for dead. (above)

Stephen Rudder
Community Filmmaker
Arch Studio
Coldharbour Lane
"The area is great. Its a central creative spot and if other people think its not that only means we can get good office space at competitive rates! so.. shh don't tell everyone"

Bilen Tesfazg
Seagull Launderette
Coldharbour Lane
“I’m only working here because its my parents business. If you’re not from the area I don’t really think you would stop here for anything, except maybe for a Chinese take away. I only use the train station and the Chinese around here”

Parker. J
Control Tower
Specialists in Caribbean cuisine and different Juices
Coldharbour Lane
“I’ve lived in Loughborough Junction for over 25 years and seen it change in many different ways. Religiously it’s a better place now but socially its not. There’s no place for everyone to socialize or get a drink together, especially after they closed all the pubs down. There is no street life at the moment and street life’s so important to for the identity of an area”

Sculptor
Whirled Arts Studios
Artists Studios and Cinema Hardess Street
"I was here when they set these studios up six years ago, i'm the longest remaining artists here in the studios. Over the last few years Whirled Arts have renovated the building making room for over 20 artists, a cinema and photography studio. Its a lovely environment here"


New Community Center and Muslim Church on Coldharbour Lane (above)

Collin Mabbs and Freddy Mabbs
The Hero Of Switzerland
Pub Owners
“I was born across the road 43 years ago. Lovely people live in this area and many different cultures get along living side by side. Anyone can come in here and we welcome them. Its true some of the white people that have always lived here complain about the young black people in gangs, but whenever you talk to them youths on their own they’re usually polite and nice. I know their parents and grandparents and their is no way they would of brought their children up to be rude people. I suppose its just when people are in large groups they act badly. Kids will be kids.”

Mariah Wilhelm,
New Local resident recently from Germany
20 years old
"I'm over here volunteering from Berlin, I really like it here, its cool yeah"


Antonio Redondo
Resident of Loughborough Estate
"Lots of people here in the Estate don't have any respect for their own homes let alone the greater community"

Jim Everett,
City Autos Owner
Hinton Road
“I moved the business here about six or seven years ago. What I really can’t understand is why suddenly the council has decided to bring in new heavy parking regulations. It has massively effected our business and my pleading to the council does nothing they wont give us any slack. I can only guess they want to get rid of small business like us around here.”

Stephen Bellas
Resident of Loughborough Estate
University Worker
“I’ve lived in the area for nearly twenty years now, there is definitely bad stigma attached to the estates. All that stigma would go away if you look out from my balcony at the whole of London when the sun is rising. The flats here have loads of great space, but yes some of the residents don’t respect their homes. If you live in the estate you can apply for an allotment from reclaimed land that wasn't being used. The allotments are a great thing and the committee plan to use them as an education space for local schools and business.”

Mohammed Bashir
UK Sunfresh
Halal butchers and groceries
“I travel from Hendon in North London every day. I’ve been here for about six years, I used to close the shop before it got dark so I could walk to Brixton tube in the daylight, but now I can stay open much later as the area feels a lot safer. There are lots of really good friendly people around here”

Kerry Ann Hurd
Jerk Island Caribbean Cuisine
Coldharbour Lane
"We have newly opened and hope to do well here as in the area people love Caribbean food"

Greg Jankowski
Trading Post
Coldharbour Lane
Polish Employee
“Some Polish people come over just to work and make money to take back to Poland, but I’ve been here over five years because I like it. Some people complain it’s dangerous, but I just can’t see it. Why would anything bad happen to me here?”

D. Safi
London Fast Food
Coldharbour Lane
“I wouldn’t want to even pass through here if I didn’t own this shop, but right now business is good for me here. I’m concerned of what might happen if the pubs re-open and things get rough again”

Please visit my website at www.nickrayrutter.com

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