C O N T E X T 1 2 0 : J U LY 2 0 1 1 19 may be overlooked when a complete spectrum of views is not sought. In this instance the community rallied together at the announcement of the review. Following a series of meetings the community formed an alliance to write in support of the listing. It was not only community groups who were involved; many local councillors worked together to establish a series of arguments for the listing case. Letters were submitted by the Twentieth Century Society, the Friends of Brixton Market, the Black Cultural Archives, Transition Town Brixton, the council leader, the London Assembly member, two MPs, and four local councillors.The letters highlighted the historical and cultural significance and social value of the market place, and the architectural merit of the covered markets. At the time of granting the review the DCMS made a request to English Heritage to reconsider its listing advice, specifically to comment on the extent that the markets contribute to the social, economic and cultural history of the nation. This request was put on hold to allow time for submissions.When the review advice was presented in early &""#, it incorporated many of the views found in the community letters. It commented that ‘the markets do seem to be the most architectural manifestation of the post-war black cultural history of Brixton; and given Brixton’s importance to post-war, Afro-Caribbean immigration generally, it can be argued that the buildings have claims to historic interest nationally.’The report makes glancing reference to some of the intangible values of the market, noting ‘the most visible manifestation of the important cultural food stuffs of the new settlers’.The amended advice marked a turnaround for English Heritage, possible only through an open discourse with the people and groups for whom the markets hold value. Despite this, English Heritage recommended only the earlier two buildings for listing, excluding the underthreat Granville Arcade.The recommendation sparked a second tranche of letters from many of those involved in the initial review. The DCMS’s decision to list all three buildings further presses the point that community perception can be a key factor in decision making. Although this is not an established practice within current listing processes, it is not without precedent. The &""! report Power of Place, commissioned from English Heritage by the government, identified that heritage protection did not adequately represent certain groups, particularly from black and Asian communities. The report points to the need to ‘find out what people value about their historic environment and why, and take this into account in assessing significance.’ InMarch &"!" the previous Labour government presented its Statement on the Historic Environment for England, stating one of its aims as being to increase public involvement; to ‘promote opportunities to place people and communities at the centre of the designation and management of their local environment’, supporting a more pluralistic approach. Engaging with specific cultural or social groups when considering sites of primarily cultural value can be crucial to understanding and expressing that value fully. It allows for a greater social inclusivity within UK heritage protection, broadening the landscape of what is important within our historic environment.The relationships that have been built within the community will be valuable to ensuring the survival of the markets.While the listing can protect the fabric of the building, those valuable yet less tangible elements – the traders, the produce, the colour, the smell and the sound – can be protected only through the continuing cooperation and work of the community, the local council and its conservation department. Rosie Shaw works as a building conservator, uncovering, sampling, documenting and conserving historic decorative schemes. The documents relating to the listing can be found at www.brixton-listed.org.uk. This article is based on research conducted as part of a thesis Save Brixton Market: protecting cultural values for the historic building conservation postgraduate diploma at the Architectural Association. Granville Arcade ("%'*–$): what is important is not the buildings themselves, but what they represent. Reliance Arcade dates from "%#'–*.
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