Brixton Village Market, snapped up over two years ago by new owners, Hondo Enterprises, has since undergone a series of renovation projects with the most recent, a sympathetic rejuvenation of the lighting system. The Brixton Market team turned to Bristol-based Fineline Lighting for a system that met the diverse needs of the space, whilst maintaining the integrity of the Grade-II listed architecture.
Brixton Market is a traditional market by day and the place to go for foods from around the world. At night, the space transforms into a popular nightlife hub, drawing in the locals with restaurants, rooftop bars and a bar playing jazz music.
The lighting system, however, was inflexible and did not meet the diverse needs of the space. Brixton Market’s general manager, Diana Nabagereka, explained: “The lighting had always been a problem across the two covered markets. The centralised overhead white lights gave the effect of a mortuary. It didn’t work for the night-time economy.”
Fineline Lighting met the brief to create an ambient and congenial atmosphere for both faces of Brixton Market. Combining over one kilometre of festoon lighting with LED lighting solutions from Briteq, in the guise of Colorstrip battens and Beamspots, Fineline Lighting created an intimate setting that allowed the market’s nightlife to flourish, and a warm enticing environment with a pleasant tone to counter the cold of the wintry days.
The installation featured over 1,000 lamps, 40 Briteq LDP Colorstrip battens and over 90 Briteq Beamspot 1s, controlled by dimming systems from Artistic Licence. The overnight installation was completed in just three weeks rather than the planned four. The installation was deemed a success and according to Diana: “The team worked fastidiously, in a professional and highly efficient manner. They went above and beyond at each stage (of the installation), including a follow up tutorial of the system.”
Diana added: “Fineline understood our needs clearly and provided a solution with no frills. They presented the festoon lighting option which has been tried and tested in retail and dining locations. There is always a complexity with reimagining Grade-II listed buildings, so we wanted a solution that was warm yet impactful and still showcased the architecture. The result is a transformed environment.”
