Reliance Arcade

Reliance Arcade is a Grade II Listed covered market in Brixton, London. Around fifty shops line either side of a narrow, glass roofed passage running between Brixton Road and Electric Lane.

It was built in the 1930’s and, although still a lively trading venue, the fabric was dilapidated and the original smart deco interior was almost completely covered over with signage and later additions. Our brief, given partly by the private owners and partly by Lambeth Council, who were sponsoring the project, was to restore its former glory without falling into the trap of losing the vibrant Afro-Caribbean character of its shops, traders and customers. Another similar nearby arcade had been restored a couple of years earlier and the result was an unfortunate gentrification and loss of the original tenants.

Early on the team realised that, in order not to lose the traders, the works would have to be done with the shops still open and trading. This was, particularly from the safety and logistics aspects, quite a challenge. However, with a very co-operative contractor and owner and real teamwork, this was what we achieved, bar a few days after Christmas when the arcade had to be closed for final services connections and the installation of the new frontage onto Brixton Road.

The arcade had been listed primarily because of the historic & cultural value the market brings to the local community of Brixton. This meant that its cultural meaning was multi layered and interventions like the fluorescent rainbow on the façade or the slatted dropped ceiling, both introduced in the 60’s, were also significant. So too was the extraordinary presence of the upper floors of a Georgian house, perched over the middle section of the arcade which was now occupying what had been its long and narrow front and rear gardens. Difficult decisions had to be made about what should and should not be retained and restored. Working with English Heritage (as it was then) and the officers of Lambeth Council it was agreed that the 30’s character of the arcade itself should be preserved, with the removal of the dropped ceiling and restoration of the chrome and black glass shopfronts. Towards Brixton Road, however, the rainbow emblem from the 60’s was repaired and improved and we designed, from scratch, a curved chrome deco entrance to the arcade to replace the cluttered arrangement that had grown up piecemeal over the previous fifty years.

The project has been a great success thanks to the vision and drive of the officers of Lambeth Council, the support of the National Heritage Lottery Fund and the willingness of the private owner to buy into it all. The arcade is now in much better repair and its condition stabilised. At the same time the heritage asset has been preserved and enhanced. Most importantly, the thriving market is alive and well and retains its authentic character.

The project was tendered in late 2018 and started on site in early 2019 with a contract sum of approximately £750,000. It was completed in February 2020