“I love Brixton, I should live here considering I love it so much!”  says 47 year old Elle Sullivan, a stall owner in Brixton market, smoking her cigarette.

 After 22 years of working at her stall, Elle is one of the many witnesses of the  ongoing change in the area of Brixton that she considers today as being her  second home.

 “It’s not as busy, a lot more foodie places are opening up, which is good  because it attracts people but not as good in other aspects.” she says,  “A lot of people that used to come now will go to other places like Lidl and  stuff because it’s cheaper. It’s sad, but in the end it has its good sides and its  bad sides, you know? It’s bringing more people in, but people don’t seem to  spend as much either.”

 As gentrification grows, Brixton is affected as a community. Taking  a split second to think about the issue, Elle stated : “Honestly? Right, it is  changing for the better for Brixton. But for the worse, for the market. They  keep trying to make adjustments and fixing us, but we don’t need to be fixed. If you ask the people who come down here why they do, they would tell you that it’s all because of the market. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Recent evictions such as the Arches or Cressingham Gardens estate concern everyone, whether directly involved or not, making people question the future. “You know the people, you see the fear and concern they’re going through and you’re scared for them.” Elle says. Nevertheless she insists  that “ our community doesn’t like to give in without a fight. Put it this way : if they go ahead and get rid of the market, it’ll be in the paper, we wouldn’t go without them having to drag us out. We’d be chained to our barriers! Get rid of all us and get all the poshy’s in – well bollocks we ain’t going!”

Solidarity has grown over the past few months,  “some of the people come and buy all the stuff through us, I do the same through them, so we’re all kind of helping each other as much as we can, as a family would do because that’s what we are here : a family.”

“The community is really strong,”  Elle has seen several generations of families passing her stall. “I’m scared that won’t be happening anymore if the Council keeps pushing theses families away” Elle says, “ I lost my husband 5 days ago, he died in my arms, and I need this community to keep me on track.” Taking that away from Brixton “would be disgusting. It’s ridiculous, people have lived her for 30 to 40 years, the Council has no right to do that.”

Ending on a note of love and positivity, Elle talks about her experience in Brixton. “The area has an impact on you, whether you live there, work there or just come on a regular basis, you will come out of the area changed. It has changed me as a person, and for the better. Definitely. I’ve always been for multiracialism and multiculturalism, but definitely, Brixton has changed me. You see so much, you learn so much, I love it.”