Secret Garden
| Tuesday 14 June, 2005 |
Bonnington Square is so secretive that a quick Google gives you some surprising results. But it's a wonderful working model of all that a LOCAL Square should be: Designed, built and maintained by local residents, the SW8 garden is respected by all those within. I live just around the corner and so it's not quite my nearest London Square. I'm always made to feel most welcome though whenever I immerse myself in the overgrown garden.
This was especially so on Sunday afternoon when the residents of Bonnington were handing out the free booze to anyone who stumbled into SW8 as part of the Open Garden Squares Weekend. I stayed there for the afternoon and took up the offer of such altruistic hospitality.
I'm often weary when people use the word 'ambience.' To me this means dodgy U2 albums from the late '80s produced by people whose idea of creativity is to take everything out of the mix. Bonnington does have an ambience though, even if it is only the isolation of all the sound coming off nearby South London Road with the shrubs acting as a natural sound booth. It's the kind of place where you can imagine Julian Cope performing a concept gig. Bonnington does display some musical heritage with Fairground Attraction once squatting in the Square.
'Perererererer...fect...' etc.
 I want to be the Arthur Fowlwer of SW8 |
The misconception about squatters is that they hold ketamine induced techno parties all weekend and shit in the corner of your kitchen. This is a view usually put forward by pricks working for newspapers that pay them ridiculous wages allowing them to purchase second and even third homes. The reality is that squatting is sometimes the only option available to low pay workers. The squats that I have been in all display more pride in the property than my dear Nan does in maintaining her 'parlour room.' Sure I would be a bit peeved if I went away and then found my flat was being squatted in; But I would rather the space be used by people taking some pride in the place than a gang of local crack heads taking over.
The community that grew out of the Bonnington squats soon turned their attention to the abandoned Square. World War Two bomb damage left a decapitated wreck in the middle of the Square with Lambeth Council showing little interest. The Bonnington Square Garden Association was born with the aim of restoring the Vauxhall Pleasure Garden. A pleasure garden has been the pride of Vauxhall for over 300 years, providing 'pleasure' in all its varied forms to South Londoners. Bonnington simply carries on this tradition.
The Square is unique in the local area in that it rarely suffers from any form of vandalism; Let the locals maintain their land and people will respect this. Meanwhile over the Borough boundary at Herne Hill and the Velodrome is already starting to attract vandalism and theft after almost six months of a lock out by the land owners.
To include Bonnington in the Open Garden Squares weekend was a bit of a misnomer; Bonnington is ALWAYS open, day and night. The addition of fairy lights when dusk comes is a nice touch. Sitting in the Square during the midsummer late sunlight and it's difficult to believe that the hussle and bustle of Vauxhall Bridge is only over the road.
This is how all London Squares should be - from Bonnnington to bloody Bloomsbury. Hand over responsibility to residents and allow land to develop and grow to reflect the local neighbourhood. Albert Square is my local, just edging out Bonnington by a matter of metres. My ambition is to be the Arthur Fowler of SW8.
(click on thumbs to see large image)
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