Mick Hartley

Hackney Marshes on a Sunday morning:

 

I'm heading down to Spitalfields Market, but taking the scenic route down the Lea and along the Hertford Union canal….

where there's been some refurbishment by the lower lock:

 

 

 

 

 

Through Victoria Park to Bishop's Way – formerly Bishops Road, as we're told:

 

Along Hackney Road past the overgrown terraced houses:

 

and The Flying Scud – an old boozer:

 

According to Derelict London it closed in '94 after a police siege involving an armed gang…" Named after a racehorse apparently (not a missile!).Though there was also a clipper ship of this name. In the eighties  it had a sign outside depicting a ship. They used to have heavy metal night on Friday and Saturday and the strippers only appeared when the pub was close to closing down for good, when it was being frequented by certain gangs."

It's not all derelict along here though:

On to the gentrified delights of Spitalfields, with Hawksmoor's Christchurch as a backdrop to the most un-London-like, and un-April-like, cafe street life:

 

[Google map]