The area around Brixton Tube station can trigger just about every one of your five senses.
From the steel drum man (shout out to his Ariana Grande megamix) to the incense sellers, street preachers and hot dog cart that seems to be open 24/7, there’s nowhere else quite like it.
But this iconic spot is undergoing a major change, with a new Gail’s shortly set to open inside the transport hub.
News of plans broke this summer, and the opening date has now been scheduled for Friday, October 16.
With just hours to go, the store is almost ready to serve its first customers. Boards have been removed from windows, to reveal the Gail’s logo and glistening counters inside.
But while the brand’s famous sourdough loaves and pastries are a welcome thought for some, not every local is happy.
On TikTok, local @emmiles2 filmed the location at 439 Brixton Road, captioning the video, ‘Am I hallucinating?’
In the comments section, others joked it’s a sign ‘Brixton has fallen,’ while @aar0n.nt wrote, ‘Brother, who even is Gail man?’
On Instagram, @chai.knee said: ‘God, if you’re listening, please don’t let them last a month, amen.’
@absthetruth Gail’s Is Officially Coming To Brixton! #comedy #gentrification #absthetruth #bungails #buntobias
♬ original sound – Abs The Truth
Across London, other Gail’s openings have generated similar protest.
In Walthamstow, residents were concerned about the chain’s arrival on Orford Road. But despite a petition being started to avoid Gail’s ‘overshadowing… much-loved local stores,’ it’s now been trading for two years.
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Similar concerns were raised in Archway, with business owners claimin the move was a step along the ‘path to gentrification’. Still, the cafe opened in February.
Against the latest backlash, Gail’s said it plans to become part of the Brixton community, joining the Magic Breakfast initiative, which sees breakfasts delivered to children in need across the Lambeth area, free of charge.
Gentrification and a changing landscape
Other large chains have also popped up in Brixton over the last few years, including Pizza Express and Itsu. There’s long been a Pret by the station too, and the M&S recently had a shiny makeover.
But smaller, local businesses are suffering.
Brixton Station newsagent, located within the concourse, was forced to close this year. Formerly run by Pritesh Patel, it operated for 36 years, and served many locals with editions of their favourite magazines.
As Metro reported at the time, Transport for London more than doubled its rent demands amid planns to refurbish and drastically increase the size of the unit.
Against this backdrop of change, housing prices have shot up for residents too.
According to estate agent Hampton’s, between 2019 and 2024, the average rent in the area increased by 32%, while figures from Rightmove show that, over the last year, a typical home in the area has sold for £570,603.
Nathan, 28, who is Jamaican but was born and raised in South London, notes how Brixton is important to the Caribbean community, given it’s where many of the Windrush generation settled.
He tells Metro that he ‘hates’ that a Gail’s is arriving in Brixton.
‘Every time a new Gail’s pops up in parts of South London I grew up in, I feel uneasy,’ he says.
‘Brixton is already very gentrified and it’s right by the station so great for commuters, but I have no excitement for it.’
However, Nathan highlights Gail’s is simply adding to a changing landscape in the area, adding: ‘This has been the case last 10 years or so, with middle class, working professionals moving in.
‘It makes me uncomfortable, and when it happens slowly over time you don’t notice it as much.
‘It’s been a while since Brixton looked like it did when I was a kid.’
A spokesperson for Gail’s told Metro: ‘We know Brixton has a strong sense of community and a brilliant mix of independent businesses, and we appreciate how much that means to local people.
‘We’re excited to bring an empty space back to life, create 15 new jobs and become a positive part of one of the best neighbourhoods in London.
‘That means giving back, too. From sharing our surplus bakes with local charities to supporting 20,000 school breakfasts for children across Lambeth.’
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