East is Eden

Variety is the spice of life

So say the East London residents we spoke to. Artist Gavin Turk tells us that the borough of Hackney is as diverse as it was when he moved there 30 years ago: “There is a kind of open-mindedness that probably comes from the melting pot of people. It feels like home.” Long-time Newham resident, Christine Ohuruogo MBE agrees, “Stratford’s full of character. Things are different, but different works, different fits. Growing up there, it was such a mix of cultures.”

Boomerang effect

Of our East End contingent, those who moved away briefly were eventually drawn back to the area. Model Paul Sculfor has fond memories of his childhood in Upminster’s “tight knit community” which saw him return after “galivanting” in Paris and Milan. And Globe-Trotter designer Charlotte Seddon is East London through-and-through: her grandparents’ gardens backed onto each other, and while her parents left their hometown of Clapton some years ago, she has set up home in Hackney.

Actor Ariyon Bakare has lived in the area more than once, firstly as a child, then on the streets of Hackney and later in a Walthamstow hostel. Ariyon returned to London from his studies in the US at the time of the fatal Bensonhurst shooting, which saw a black teenager shot dead by white youths. “I grew up in a place where my neighbours were white and my close friends at school were from India, China, Guyana and Nigeria. It was never alien for me to see a person walking into my neighbourhood from another culture and I was definitely not intimidated by it.” Ariyon puts this down to, “‘The London stew effect’; a casserole of cultures and races.”

People power

When we asked our high profile East London residents what they love about the area, community was top of the list. Designer Dilara Findikoglu says, “Being surrounded by like-minded people makes me feel comfortable. A lot of my neighbours share the same interests. I think it is like a little community.” Spitalfields resident, chef Angela Hartnett MBE says she loves, “The houses and the neighbours. I think the area has a real community spirit.” And for family man Paul Sculfor, “It’s family-oriented and traditionally British; people are friendly and everybody knows their neighbours, which is more of a rarity now.”

Firm foundations

East London’s diversity isn’t restricted to its people. Paul Sculfor says that Upminster, “Still feels like a historic borough, with its parks and old churches, but the new developments mean you have old and new together.”

Tower blocks have made a big impression on our East Londoners, with Trellick Tower a firm favourite for Ariyon Bakare and Charlotte Seddon. Charlotte explains, “I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for tower blocks and Brutalist architecture.” Ariyon tells us, “When I see Trellick Tower, I see the microcosm of London life in one block. It stands like a beacon of unity.”

Eastern delights

While Londoners from many other areas of the capital gravitate to the city centre to eat out, it seems that East London offers our London residents all they need. Photographer Louie Banks is a regular at Dishoom in Shoreditch and Gujarati Rasoi in Dalston, while tailor Phoebe Gormley loves the “small plates of seasonal, fresh food” at Leyton’s Marmelo Kitchen. Pixie Lott’s perfect weekend includes a bite at Smith’s in Wapping, while Gavin Turk regularly dines at Morito on Hackney Road, and Christine Ohuruogu MBE loves the omelette and fries at Barking’s Galleon Café.

Hot spot

And there’s no need to hit the town for a wild night out, according to these high-profile East Londoners. Club connoisseur Louie Banks tells us that Savage is a sure-fire bet for the best “club night”, while he’s a regular at the Dalston Superstore and Sink the Pink. Dilara Findikoglu loves to spread her wings at Hackney’s Moth Club; and agrees with Charlotte Seddon that The Royal Oak on Columbia Road is the best pub in the locality. Christine Ohuruogu MBE loves the “buzzing atmosphere” at the new E20 complex, and Angela Hartnett MBE cites The Golden Heart and Merchant’s Tavern as her favourite spots for a nightcap.

Changing times

There’s no doubt that the Olympic legacy has revolutionised East London. Christine Ohuruogu MBE tells us, “Stratford was always one of those places no one ever knew existed. But the Olympics and the emphasis on sports has been great for the area. We still have our parks, and people get involved in activities there, which is something I’m really proud of.”

Gavin Turk agrees. “I’m always incredibly impressed at how Victoria Park was developed during the Olympics. When I first came to Hackney it seemed very dark and people didn’t go there, certainly the north half was quite the no-man’s land. Now, it’s super busy and very active.”

East London has become something of a foodie paradise, says Charlotte Seddon: “I’m really surprised by how much it’s changed. My parents moved away from Clapton in the 1980s and they can’t believe the changes – I think my mum is jealous of all the organic cafés!” The same can be said for Upminster, according to Paul Sculfor, “It’s more metropolitan and has more restaurants and bars.”

And for London Fire Brigade Commissioner Dany Cotton, London’s evolving dynamics pose professional challenges. “All you have to do is look at the London skyline to see how much the city is changing – the buildings that are going up constantly, the evolution of it,” she says. “It’s all about how we evolve as a fire service to ensure we’re ready to meet new demands and the changing world that is London.”