The East End Tour: Brick Lane, Shoreditch and Spitalfields
London’s East End is a district of many faces. Traditionally associated with the industrial working class, the home to dockers and factory workers, the East End has long been the place where London meets with the consequences of modernity.
- Amble towards ethnically vibrant Brick Lane, welcome to London's Banglatown.
- Trace centuries of Jewish and Asian migration through clues and distinct architecture.
- Comb the uber-trendy Old Spitalfields Market, a mecca for artisan products.
- Follow in the footsteps of Jack The Ripper and visit the scene of his murders.
- Next, tour the most electrifying pieces of street art across the neighbourhood.
- Finish by bisecting colourful Shoreditch, London's urban playground and artistic hub.
From the rapid urbanisation and slums of the Victorian era, to the great waves of working-class immigration in the 20th century, to the turmoil of radical political struggle, through to the more recent transformations of deindustrialisation, financialisation, and digital transformation, the East End has been marked like no other part of London.
Where once factories belched out smoke, and impoverished manual labourers struggled for their daily diet, the East End now thrives as the undisputed epicentre of London’s art, fashion, and entrepreneurship. From the startup hubs leading the digital economy to the art galleries, pubs and restaurants of a vibrant social world, this truly is a remarkable part of the world’s most international city. In this melting pot of diversity - famed for waves of Huguenot, Irish, and Jewish immigration - we now see the huge influence of Bangladeshi migrants, whose cuisine defines and enlivens the world-renowned Brick Lane.
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