A new Safe Hub has been launched in Brixton by Lambeth Council, the Home Office and Brixton Business Improvement District, as part of a local approach to reducing knife crime.
Policing Minister Sarah Jones MP joined Leader of the Council, Claire Holland OBE on a visit to Brixton yesterday (Thursday 26 February) to see the Brixton Safe Hub, managed by Brixton BID’s Street Team.
The Safe Hub, located on Windrush Square, provides practical first response support, including phone charging, first aid and a safe space for anyone feeling threatened. The hub operates on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, covering the busy after-school and evening periods where data has shown a spike in crime. It has already supported over 300 people in the first weeks of operations.
Home Office funding allowed the rapid delivery of the Safe Hub, which had been identified as a key pilot project in Lambeth’s Night Time Economy Strategy.
Home Office, Metropolitan Police and council data was used to identify a core ‘hex’ area where knife-enabled robbery is most concentrated – covering the area around Brixton Road, Electric Avenue, Brixton Hill, Acre Lane and Effra Road. It’s one of 50 areas receiving additional support across the country.
The Brixton hyperlocal initiative includes a number of other targeted interventions, all aiming to reduce knife crime and make the area safer. This includes outreach by local youth engagement partners, the Christian International Peace Service (CHIPs). The CHIPS team have delivered over 170 hours of youth patrols in Brixton, as well as ‘active bystander’ training to help professionals and local people de-escalate potentially violent situations between young people.
Additional CCTV will be installed, focused on known hot spots such as St Mathews Church Yard, where work is taking place to deter crime, including weapons and drugs storage. The council’s parks team discovered a hidden knife during recent gardening works in the Churchyard, to open clearer lines of site for CCTV.
The Met Police are working on intelligence-led operations around the busy bus, rail and underground stops in the town centre, as police data shows most criminal suspects are not local to the area.
The Brixton initiative is part of wider efforts to tackle knife crime and make Lambeth safer, which is providing tangible results. The borough has seen a 36% decrease in recorded knife crime between January 2025-January 2026, and the hex scheme hopes to further increase this downward trend.
Councillor Claire Holland, Leader of Lambeth Council, said:
“Brixton is the bustling heart of South London, and we’re determined to make it safer for everyone, especially after school and during busy evenings.
“The Safe Hub is Brixton’s community spirit put into action. It shows we stand united against knife crime, anti-social behaviour and the harassment of women and girls.
“We welcome the Government and Mayor of London’s support for neighbourhood policing and hyperlocal partnerships like this. The action we’re taking in Lambeth is making a real difference, reducing knife crime and showing Brixton is not a soft target for criminals, day or night.”
Crime and Policing Minister Sarah Jones said:
“Communities deserve to feel safe in the places where they live, work and travel, and the Brixton Safe Hub is an important step in delivering exactly that.
“This hub will give young people a safe place to turn, strengthen visible guardianship on our high streets, and help build the trusted relationships that steer vulnerable individuals away from harm.
“The Government is committed to tackling knife crime wherever it occurs, and this pioneering work in Brixton is vital to that mission.”
Superintendent Mark Gallacher, Lambeth and Southwark BCU said:
“The Met continues to work with partners to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in Brixton. The creation of the Brixton Safety hub demonstrates that strengthening partnerships within the community will help fight crime and further improve trust with all Londoners. We are already seeing the benefits of the hub and I believe these benefits will increase in the coming weeks.
“Londoners are at the heart of everything we do, which is why we remain absolutely committed to tackling the most serious crimes, alongside the issues that most affect our neighbourhoods.”
Gianluca Rizzo, Managing Director, Brixton BID said:
“We know that a thriving business community depends on people feeling safe. That’s why we are working closely with our businesses and local partners, taking an active role in addressing crime, sharing information and ensuring Brixton remains a destination for locals and visitors.
“The launch of the Brixton Safe Hub marks an important step in our commitment to keeping Brixton town centre safer, more welcoming and a destination for everyone.”
