# What's going on in Vauxhall?



## snowy_again (Jan 23, 2008)

Exclusion zone around MI6? I can't get to work


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 23, 2008)

snowy_again said:
			
		

> Exclusion zone around MI6? I can't get to work


 

they don't want all those protesting coppers invading the place


er, don't you mean MI5?


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## snowy_again (Jan 23, 2008)

6? 5? what's a number between intelligence services?


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## dream_girl (Jan 23, 2008)

I understood that it was MI6 were in the buidling at Vauxhall


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 23, 2008)

snowy_again said:
			
		

> 6? 5? what's a number between intelligence services?


 

One's domestic and one's international.


MI6 is the other side of the river


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## snowy_again (Jan 23, 2008)

http://www.urban75.org/photos/london/lon336.html 
has MI6 next to where I work on the south side...

and for those really interested, there's pictures and maps of both of them: 
http://www.five.org.uk/security/index.htm

I'll go and try and get in again.


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## dream_girl (Jan 23, 2008)

Minnie_the_Minx said:
			
		

> One's domestic and one's international.



Historically at least - however in these days of international terorrism, there's plenty of overlap between the two organisations

Anyway - looks like I stand corrected on who's in that building


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 23, 2008)

dream_girl said:
			
		

> Historically at least - however in these days of international terorrism, there's plenty of overlap between the two organisations
> 
> Anyway - looks like I stand corrected on who's in that building


 

I should know, as I worked in Thames House


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## dream_girl (Jan 23, 2008)

now i'm confused - i always thought that the building south of the thames - the one at Vauxhall Cross - was MI6 - Snowy's link implies I'm correct. 

Where's Thames House?


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 23, 2008)

dream_girl said:
			
		

> Historically at least - however in these days of international terorrism, there's plenty of overlap between the two organisations
> 
> Anyway - looks like I stand corrected on who's in that building


 

yeah and isn't it really called the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) and not MI6?


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 23, 2008)

dream_girl said:
			
		

> or not?


 

or not what?


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## Tricky Skills (Jan 23, 2008)

South Lambeth Road is closed from Lansdowne Way up to Old South Lambeth Road. It's buzzing with at least 40 coppers. I approached a friendly looking officer, who explained that 'there had been a motorbike crash.'

There was indeed a motorbike on the road, but still, 40 odd coppers?


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 23, 2008)

Tricky Skills said:
			
		

> South Lambeth Road is closed from Lansdowne Way up to Old South Lambeth Road. It's buzzing with at least 40 coppers. I approached a friendly looking officer, who explained that 'there had been a motorbike crash.'
> 
> There was indeed a motorbike on the road, but still, 40 odd coppers?


 

Well there are a lot of them about today


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## dream_girl (Jan 23, 2008)

Minnie_the_Minx said:
			
		

> or not what?



Looks like I stand corrected - or not? 

Was supposed to follow my previous post - that's why i editted it.


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## dream_girl (Jan 23, 2008)

Tricky Skills said:
			
		

> South Lambeth Road is closed from Lansdowne Way up to Old South Lambeth Road. It's buzzing with at least 40 coppers. I approached a friendly looking officer, who explained that 'there had been a motorbike crash.'
> 
> There was indeed a motorbike on the road, but still, 40 odd coppers?



There's been a heavy police presence along there for weeks - they seem to be cracking down on unlicensed vehicles.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 23, 2008)

dream_girl said:
			
		

> now i'm confused - i always thought that the building south of the thames - the one at Vauxhall Cross - was MI6 - Snowy's link implies I'm correct.
> 
> Where's Thames House?


 

Thames House is the other side of the River (Millbank).  Thames House is MI5.  Vauxhall is MI6


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 23, 2008)

oh, I can see where you might get confused.

Other side of the River depends on what side you're on


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## dream_girl (Jan 23, 2008)

Minnie_the_Minx said:
			
		

> oh, I can see where you might get confused.
> 
> Other side of the River depends on what side you're on



indeed


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## vauxhallmum (Jan 23, 2008)

I think Cobalt House place is some sort of Police hangout, so maybe not surprizing there might be loads of them around there ie South Lambeth Road.

Too bad no sign of them every time people get threatened outside the drugs emporiums masquerading as all night shops


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## snowy_again (Jan 23, 2008)

So apparently there was a security incident at MI6 compounded by the police protesters conveniently parkign their coaches up outside the MI6 / Tintangel House. Doesn't explain why South Lambeth Road is closed, but its not a bad show of power by the police to grind things to a halt...


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 23, 2008)

snowy_again said:
			
		

> So apparently there was a security incident at MI6 compounded by the police protesters conveniently parkign their coaches up outside the MI6 / Tintangel House. Doesn't explain why South Lambeth Road is closed, but its not a bad show of power by the police to grind things to a halt...


 

Tricky Skills






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South Lambeth Road is closed from Lansdowne Way up to Old South Lambeth Road. It's buzzing with at least 40 coppers. I approached a friendly looking officer, who explained that 'there had been a motorbike crash.'

There was indeed a motorbike on the road, but still, 40 odd coppers? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



​


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## Biddlybee (Jan 23, 2008)

Anyone been down South Lambeth Road in the last hour or so, and know if it's still closed off?


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## detective-boy (Jan 24, 2008)

vauxhallmum said:
			
		

> I think Cobalt House place is some sort of Police hangout, so maybe not surprizing there might be loads of them around there ie South Lambeth Road.


Cobalt Square (on the corner of the one way system opposite the Vauxhall Tavern) is a Met Police building, currently occupied by central CID units (well, it was last time I looked).  It used to be a civilian support unit building but they all fucked off to Empress State Building in Fulham (which is very nice and extremely expensive I'm sure).  The current function of Cobalt Square would not explain the presence of large numbers of uniformed officers at all.


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## vauxhallmum (Jan 24, 2008)

detective-boy said:
			
		

> Cobalt Square (on the corner of the one way system opposite the Vauxhall Tavern) is a Met Police building, currently occupied by central CID units (well, it was last time I looked).  It used to be a civilian support unit building but they all fucked off to Empress State Building in Fulham (which is very nice and extremely expensive I'm sure).  The current function of Cobalt Square would not explain the presence of large numbers of uniformed officers at all.




Fair enough, I'm probably behind the times. Sometimes they used to  park up about 20 police vans outside there and it looked like a major police incident but I like to think they were just popping in for their tea.


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## Guineveretoo (Jan 24, 2008)

detective-boy said:
			
		

> Cobalt Square (on the corner of the one way system opposite the Vauxhall Tavern) is a Met Police building, currently occupied by central CID units (well, it was last time I looked).  It used to be a civilian support unit building but they all fucked off to Empress State Building in Fulham (which is very nice and extremely expensive I'm sure).  The current function of Cobalt Square would not explain the presence of large numbers of uniformed officers at all.



The Empress State Building is neither nice nor expensive. It's also a pain to get to by public transport, at least compared with the central London buildings.


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## poster342002 (Jan 24, 2008)

The Empress State Building _is_ very impressive, imo. You can see it for miles around! Looks very space-age and modern, too. Looks a hundred times better than that stupid glass cock sticking into the sky in the city.


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## Guineveretoo (Jan 24, 2008)

It certainly has good views, and it is weird when the top floor moves when you standing there, but as a place to work it's horrible.


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## detective-boy (Jan 25, 2008)

vauxhallmum said:


> Fair enough, I'm probably behind the times. Sometimes they used to  park up about 20 police vans outside there and it looked like a major police incident but I like to think they were just popping in for their tea.


That would be exactly what it was - the canteen there has got a big room attached for "operational feeding" purposes ... but that could be in connection with stuff miles away, not necessarily local (same applies in Buckingham Gate near NSY, there's a feeding centre there)


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## poster342002 (Jan 25, 2008)

Guineveretoo said:


> It certainly has good views, and it is weird when the top floor moves when you standing there, but as a place to work it's horrible.



The top floor "moves" ...?


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jan 25, 2008)

detective-boy said:


> That would be exactly what it was - the canteen there has got a big room attached for "operational feeding" purposes ... but that could be in connection with stuff miles away, not necessarily local (same applies in Buckingham Gate near NSY, there's a feeding centre there)


 

where in Buckingham Gate?


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## Badgers (Jan 25, 2008)

Funnily enough we went to Sainsbury's last night about 19:00 and there were police everywhere. A lot of very serious looking Met police in cars and vans just circling around and one car had been parked on the Wandsworth Road with lights going for about two hours.


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## cybertect (Jan 25, 2008)

poster342002 said:


> The top floor "moves" ...?



It has a revolving bar, like the one that used to be at the top of the Post Office Tower.

I was doing work for the renovation architects, Wilkinson Eyre, when it was going through their office. Top firm


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## metalguru (Jan 26, 2008)

What's the building opposite Cobalt House on Kennington Lane, next to Spring Gardens?

It always looks like security is excellent - and indeed it has those security code pods at the entrance?


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## vauxhallmum (Jan 26, 2008)

metalguru said:


> What's the building opposite Cobalt House on Kennington Lane, next to Spring Gardens?
> 
> It always looks like security is excellent - and indeed it has those security code pods at the entrance?




Ah yes, have often wondered about that place. Have you noticed that you NEVER see anyone going in or out?


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