Kemi Alemoru

The thumping sound of a Moxie DJ set spills out of Brixton Courtyard on a Saturday night. Inside the coronavirus-conscious open-air club, it almost feels like a normal end-of-summer night. I’m sitting at a picnic table, there’s sand underfoot and a chorus of excited, tipsy chatter fills the space around me. Nothing says ‘making the most of the dregs of BST’ like a chilly beach party full of drunks. The venue was launched by Brixton Jamm in July. The idea was to create a space for people to go out without the anxiety of trying to mentally measure out a metre from people you don’t know at the bar. You stay seated on socially distanced benches and only interact with the bubble you arrive with. Drinks and street food – from HausParty and Only Jerkin’ – are delivered straight to your pre-booked table via a mobile app. This keeps you safe and also saves you the hassle of having to try and make really intense eye contact with the bartenders until you’re finally served. Simon Denby, co-founder of Percolate, is promoting this new space. Usually he’d be planning sweaty club nights but he’s had to get savvy and adapt to the new rules around partying in the pandemic. ‘We’re going to have to find innovative ways to support the nightlife economy,’ he explains. ‘We could end up with a lot less venues if we don’t adapt, and then there are DJs, bar staff, sound-system engineers and cleaners, people who aren’t covered by government support at all.’ Denby has used Percolate’s reputation for thr

In our new series, we ask cool Londoners to tell us what’s good in the area they know best. This week: Shiden Tekle and Mel Da Silva Pinto, youth organisers with Brixton-based activism group the Advocacy Academy, share a guide to the district.  1. Nour Cash & Carry Mel ‘Nour has been a Brixton institution for decades, supplying our communities with everything from teff to plantain to indomie. Thankfully they stayed open over lockdown! Nour was recently threatened with eviction, but thanks to local activists Save Nour Save Brixton they can continue to supply us with the goods. They have the best service, so skip Sainsbury’s and go to Nour.’ 2. Black Cultural Archives Shiden ‘BCA is one of the most important places to visit in Brixton. This national heritage centre has exhibitions, a library and an archive of African and Caribbean history in Britain. It’s a place I can always find positive representations of myself in history and culture.’ 3. Brixton Market Both ‘We’ve grown up shopping in Brixton Market with our parents and we love it with all of our hearts. As Brixton becomes consumed with new, more mainstream shops and overpriced restaurants, it’s important to remember how big a part markets have played in Brixton’s culture.’   Photograph: Eat of Eden   4. Eat of Eden Mel ‘This vegan hole-in-the-wall restaurant is inspired by Caribbean ital and acts as a community hub. They always cater our campaign meetings! They have the best food in town (get the sharing platter), but