Thankyou so much for your support so far!
Due to a larger than anticipated rent increase at the end of our 10 yr lease, it means we can no longer afford to stay at the premises at 126 Brixton Hill.
We broke the news to everyone on June 5th, 2023. Since then we have been totally overwhelmed with well wishes, offers of help, social media sharing, petition signing and shouting about the cause. Patrons, friends, local residents, local councillors and supporters of the arts have really got behind us, and we feel very wanted here! Thankyou x
We have been working with lots of helpful people and trying to get the landlord to negotiate, as yet however, nothing has been resolved, but we remain hopeful that although we may not be able to get the landlord to reduce his rental price, we might be able to extend our lease for enough time as to find other premises in the area.
Here’s a quick round up of what’s gone on so far…
Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP
Spurred on by one of our loyal customers who kindly wrote a template letter, many people wrote to our local MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy. Bell has taken a keen interest in our situation, visiting the studio along with Councillor Olga Fitzroy and writing to the landlord directly on behalf of us and concerned local residents.
Petition
Jimi Smith started a Change.org petition on Jun 6th which ran for 10 days and garnered 5,800 names in just 10 days. Support came from people who rely on the studio, bands who come here to rehearse such as Black Midi, Shame, Berries, Dinosaur Pile Up, The Dust Coda and Big Joanie, to Brixton residents and and organisations such a the Brixton Soup Kitchen and our favourite local venue, The Windmill.
Along with food critic and jazz musician Jay Rayner who rehearses here, we also had signatures from industry friends Graham Coxon (Blur), Charlotte Hatherley, Jim Bob (Carter USM) and legendary Bowie producer Tony Visconti.
Radio DJs also got involved including three who are hugely influential in promoting new music and often play bands who rehearse here – John Kennedy at Radio X and Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson from BBC 6Music.
Press
We’ve had a quite a bit of interest from the media, from BBC Radio London to the Evening Standard, South London Press to Brixton Buzz, we are grateful to the journalists who listened and got the story out to the wider audience. Here are links to some of the articles:
‘Ripping the culture out of Brixton’: Music studios set to close as landlord demands £32K rent rise – South London Press
Brixton Hill Studios fights for survival after ‘greedy landlords’ Lexadon demand £32K rent rise – Brixton Buzz
Stephen Gilchrist and Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP on the Lion Heart show – BBC Radio London (from around 34mins)
Tony Visconti in The Londoner’s Diary – Evening Standard
Brixton Hill Studios under threat of closure – LoudWomen
Save Brixton Hill Studios: Vital South London rehearsal space discuss fight to stay open in the face of unbridled profiteering – Far Out Magazine
One of South London’s last affordable rehearsal and recording spaces is under threat of closure – Louder Than War
Campaign to save Brixton Hill Studios from closure launched by South London scene – Juno Records
Film
Our friend Aggie Branner from the band Balamuc made this short fly on the wall film about the studio > #savebrixtonhillstudios
Definitely worth a watch if you haven’t already.
Social Media
Amazing to see so many of you get involved, we appreciate all the shares, likes and comments on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
It has also been lovely to see some of you posting memories of good times here at the studios, or sharing videos of your rehearsals, or taking your pic in front of our iconic shutter.
Our patrons are the best! We appreciate you so much, and we will do our best to make sure we continue to offer a space for you to make music in Brixton.
Keep up to date with progress of the campaign on our Facebook Group – Brixton Hill Studios Preservation Society