New website goes live

The new Brixton Windmill website is now live!

The Friends of Windmill Gardens have their own section, and the blog will keep you up to date with all events and news. There’s also a list of open days and other events, with details of how to book guided tours.

We’re still working on some of the other sections. There are a few images missing, but please bear with us – we will be working to add new material over the coming weeks and months. If you’ve got any old photos of Brixton Windmill stashed away, we’d love to hear from you as we add to the history section.

New website

Photo by Owen Llewellyn

Exciting news! In the next few days we will be launching a new website for Brixton Windmill, incorporating this blog and the current website of the Friends of Windmill Gardens.

This blog was set up specifically to record the progress of restoration on Brixton Windmill. Now that the restoration is complete and the windmill is about to reopen, we’ve decided to use it to report on other news and events organised around Windmill Gardens.

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading the blog over the past year and that you’ll stay with us when we move to our new home. This blog will remain available as an archive, but all new posts will be on the new website. We’ll post the URL of the new site as soon as it goes live.

Thank you to everyone for your support, enthusiasm and contributions. We look forward to the next phase in the life of Brixton Windmill – do stay with us and help keep the wind in our sails!

Feast on the Bridge

Feast on the Bridge 2010 (photo by Elkin Atwell)

Together with our friends from Brockwell Bake, the Friends of Windmill Gardens will be attending the Feast on the Bridge, part of the Thames Festival, this Saturday.

This is the fifth year that Southwark Bridge will be closed to traffic and turned into a giant banqueting space, encouraging visitors to eat, drink and enjoy free entertainment and workshops. The theme this year is sustainable fish, so there will be fishy games, hat-making with a fishy theme, fish-shaped chocolates for sale and ‘fish’ cake decorating.

Other sustainable activities include corn dolly making, pumpkin-carving and advice on setting up a wormery. Brockwell Bake will be demonstrating milling and baking with heritage wheat.

We’ll be selling our new T-shirts, badges and postcards as well as promoting our open days in September and October.

So come and see us and enjoy a day of fantastic sustainable fun!

The Feast on the Bridge is on Southwark Bridge, Saturday 10 September, noon-10pm.

Feast on the Bridge 2010 (photo by Elkin Atwell)

Book for tours next weekend

"What does this bit do?" (photo by Owen Llewellyn)

Brixton Windmill will finally be reopening its doors to visitors on Sunday 11 September, 2-4pm.

Don’t forget that if you want to see the whole windmill, going right up to the top floor, you must book a guided tour in advance. Each tour lasts for 30 minutes and is restricted to four visitors – so book now to guarantee your place, by ringing 020 7926 6056 or emailing lrigg@lambeth.gov.uk.

We are also taking bookings for the following weekend (17 and 18 September), when Brixton Windmill will be open slightly longer hours as part of Open House Weekend.

If you don’t book in advance, you may have to queue to get in, and you will only be allowed up as far as the first floor.

As a former industrial building, Brixton Windmill has potential dangers, including steep ladders, low beams and heavy machinery. It’s also a very small space, so the number of visitors at any one time is restricted.

Children are very welcome, but because of the steep ladders they are not allowed to go above the first floor if they are less than 1.2m tall. They must be able to climb the stairs by themselves. Babies and young children cannot be carried.

If you have mobility problems, medical conditions or don’t like heights or climbing ladders, you may also prefer to remain on the ground or first floor.

We’re very excited about Brixton Windmill reopening, and we look forward to showing you around this unique building!

Lyham Road street party this Saturday

The Friends of Windmill Gardens will have a stall at the Lyham Road street party this Saturday 3 September.

This will be your first opportunity to buy one of our new I Love Brixton Windmill T-shirts, as well as finding out more about our open days and the Windmill Festival on Sunday 18 September.

This is the third year of the street party, which will include a bouncy castle, face painting, a barbecue and cake and sweet stalls. The fire brigade will also be putting in an appearance.

The party runs from 2pm to 8pm, on Saxby Road and Lyham Road up to the junction with Dumbarton Road. Everyone welcome!