EAST LONDON?. Yes, it is cool…

It is time to discover East London!

East London, an unknown area. unloved, ignored, for years neglected...

Just look at the tourist maps or travel guides of London: there is (almost) nothing to the East of the TOWER, N of the river THAMES!. Maybe a short chapter dedicated to the ISLE OF DOGS (Canary Wharf). Maybe a mention of the new OLYMPIC PARK... Perhaps a few lines about the WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY in WALTHAMSTOW ...

Now, you might have started thinking that visiting the East of London is not worth the trouble!. Nothing more far from the truth!

Of course, I did not meant to deter you. I was just challenging you!.

And, of course. I have omitted that East London is a fast changing area. Yes, it used to be grimy, and filthy,

poor and deprived, with higher levels of crime, and unemployment, lower life expectancy and lower levels of academic achievement... but the local authorities and, especially, the community, through its charities and lobbies, have turned things on its head: better urbanism and architecture, attracting a new mix of people, is transforming EAST LONDON in the creative hub of the metropolis, a youthful place, trendy and vanguardist...

You rather come and discover all this... give East London a chance!

From the City boundaries…

First, HACKNEY, the LONDON BOROUGH OF HACKNEY. From the limits of the CITY OF LONDON to the North, STAMFORD HILL, where the boundary with the LONDON BOROUGH OF HARINGEY is. Through DALSTON and STOKE NEWINGTON.

Left-wing Melting Pot

A large AFRO-CARIBBEAN community, HASSIDIC JEWS and, above all, a numerous TURKISH and KURDISH COMMUNITY. The most ethnically diverse districts of Greater London are the Eastern ones!.

A working class, multi-ethnic borough has resulted in electing the first black woman MP, elected for the first time in 1987, DIANE ABBOTT (although suspended from 2023).

In fact, HACKNEY is considered one of the feuds of the LOONY LEFT. Well, excuse me, this is a THATCHERITE, 1980s hate term.

Here are experiencing multi-ethnicity and multiculturalism in East London!. Only 60% of the population is white.

300 languages?. Maybe. It does not matter. The truth of the matter is that local authorities, and other institutions in East London (and in other parts of the UK) deal with it… how?.

From workshops to artworks…

Traditionally proletarian areas, where the breadwinners of the families, originally from all the Kingdom, used to walk from their overcrowded cottages to their overcrowded factories and workshops, and mainly the men would drink their wages in the corner pubs of their districts (where breweries were one of the main employers!).

The East London quarters were devastated by the BLITZ and the V1s and V2s flying bombs and fell into an economic depression and of all sorts.

At one stage things started to improve, the buildings that survived WW2 and who had fallen into dereliction captured the interest of architects, designers, artists… maybe thanks to the low rents that were asked for!. ALEXANDER McQUEEN, TRACEY EMIN, DAMIEN HIRST, the CHAPMAN BROTHERS… among others established in the area. They led the way and more and more creative professionals moved here, helping g to transform those grimy areas in vibrant and dynamic ones (and bringing in his wave rents up!).

Former industrial units, reconverted, peppered with some Georgian and Victorian houses, restored, yes… but the COUNCIL ESTATES, pre-war and the generally horrible post-war ones are still there, improved, but still a great contrast.

For you, it is a great offer of art galleries and design shops, the number of eateries and drinking spots is unbelievable. In the evening live music and clubs…