The newest radio-style documentary from the illustrious charity explores the previous, current and rising way forward for a really particular London road
Researching and writing a 30-minute podcast script about Brick Lane in Spitalfields, a historic heartland of the East Finish, was a big and quite daunting problem. The slim road and its environs are variously celebrated as a spot of refuge and alternative for individuals escaping hardship and persecution, of wonderful structure and essential industries, of neighborhood resistance to ugly extremism and, in current a long time, of tradition, creativity and leisure.
All of those previous and current strands of the Brick Lane story and the usually sturdy feelings they encourage inform a generally fraught debate about its unfolding future. In recent times, this has turn out to be targeted on the plans of the Truman Brewery firm to enhance the jigsaw of previous buildings on either side of Brick Lane that beforehand housed one of many greatest beer-production operations on this planet with some new ones, to be constructed on a parking lot and a yard.
Loads of warmth has been generated however not an enormous quantity of sunshine. That may be a disgrace, as a result of the extra you uncover the totally different forces of continuity and alter which have formed and re-shaped the Brick Lane neighbourhood down the years – certainly, the centuries – the extra you see of the advanced patterns they type and the way these may information what occurs subsequent.
In my script, I’ve sought to light up a few of these patterns with the assistance of 4 wonderful interviewees: Helal Abbas, Julie Begum, Jamal Khalique of Taj Shops and Tom Larsson of Develop Locations. It has, as soon as once more, been my pleasure to work with high BBC radio producer Andrew McGibbon of Curtains for Radio on what’s the newest version of The London Society’s London Defined sequence.
You may hearken to the Brick Lane podcast HERE and on different podcast platforms. And if you wish to discover the Truman Brewery website in individual, The London Society has organised a tour of it to happen on the morning of 1 Might. Particulars right here.
OnLondon.co.uk supplies distinctive, no-advertising and no-paywall protection of the capital’s politics, growth and tradition. Help the web site and its writers for simply £5 a month or £50 a yr and get issues that different individuals gained’t. Particulars HERE. Comply with Dave Hill on Bluesky.
