The Hackney gasholders are a delight on the skyline, as you can tell by the volume of people who pause their walk along the Regents Canal to whip out their phone and snap an image. One's from 1866, the other 1899, and between them they're possibly the best surviving examples of "columnar" and "lattice girder" guide frames. But their days are numbered for reasons you can probably guess (despite the whopping cost of dismantling them and decontaminating the land). The plan, which Tower Hamlets rubberstamped in September, is to create a mixed-use development on the site comprising 5 cylindrical blocks containing a total of 555 flats. Two of these blocks will have the gasholders reassembled around their exterior, because that'll knock the selling price sky high, despite the fact the structures won't quite be authentic any more. Meanwhile the affordable apartments will be in the blocks further back, for rental only and without that all-important waterside view. The adjacent coachworks has already been levelled and is in the process of rising as 55 character-free warehouse apartments, as east London continues to devour everything that gave it soul. My apologies if you're feeling more depressed at the end of this paragraph than at the start of it.
Sunday (EC2)
I love a good wander through the Barbican, and have got better at it over the years so can normally thread my way from one side to the other without getting lost. But that's been tougher during lockdown because most of the best routes require a walk through the building and the inside of the arts centre's been a restricted zone. The waterfront terrace appears to be particularly hemmed in with only one obvious set of steps, hence a seeming dead end unless you happen to be a resident. But continue past the cafe (and a mildly disapproving notice) and a shielded staircase heads up to the doors of the school of music and the Barbican's gorgeous set of gentle ramps. On Sunday I had these entirely to myself so was able to stroke the concrete without anyone noticing, and line up the illuminated swing doors at the centre of my frame without any other pesky humans getting in shot. You too may be able to wander the Barbican without a second thought, but it's only practice that makes perfect.
Monday (E17)
I haven't been as far north as Walthamstow since March, a single trip to Lincolnshire excepted. It was a pleasure to return, although mainly for the novelty value rather than the exciting mix of facilities. Two days before the end of lockdown the famous market had yet to return, so the long descending high street was conspicuously empty of stalls but still unexpectedly busy with shoppers. Food stores large and small were drawing the crowds, from the big Sainsbury's in the centre to the many fishmongers displaying their catch on shelves of ice. When the only things you're allowed to do are exercise or essential shopping, most locals seem to have chosen the latter. I walked all the way from the Christmas tree at the top (by Lidl) to the Christmas tree at the bottom (by Lidl), then round the corner to St James Street station. Here I found another of Maud Milton's marvellous community roundels, this one installed over the summer and another intricate symphony in orange and blue. So although I could have shown you a photo of an overcast high street, I hope you're pleased I went for a mosaic close-up instead.
Tuesday (E20)
I generally associate daffodils with March, maybe February, but the gardeners at the Olympic Park have found a really early variety that inevitably unfurls several months early. They first freaked me out on 29th December 2014 when I discovered slopes of Wordsworth-worthy yellow nodders on the banks opposite the Aquatics Centre. In 2015 they were fully ablaze on 15th December, an observation which earned my startled tweet a mention in the Guardian. The following year they were very late by E20 standards, still bursting their trumpets on 28th January. Since then I've been keen on spotting the first of the season, which in 2018 was 16th December and last year a very similar 15th December. So you can imagine my shock in 2020 when I stumbled upon this one on 1st December along with four other early sprouters upstream. I keep reminding myself that these aren't typical daffodils, or else the QEOP gardeners are feeding them something special, but a spring flower on the first day of meteorological winter must be more than just a freak of nature.
Wednesday (E8)
I only found Pidgin by mislaying my sense of direction and ending up in backstreet Hackney. It's part of a brief parade on Wilton Way that's attempted to retain a retro vibe but hosts businesses more upmarket than its shopfronts would suggest. Like many small restaurants across Tier 2, Pidgin has been itching to welcome paying customers back inside. Its handful of tables are spaced and ready, its glassware neatly arranged and sparkling, and its first night's menu pinned up in the window. The kitchen's proud boast is that in five years it's never served up the same dish twice, which may be why this week's tasting menu reads like a list of What3Words locations. Lobster, swede, nettle certainly sounds like it ought to be unrepeatable. Vegetarian diners dodge the beef and get a wood roasted badger flame beetroot to accompany the main course instead, apparently. I trust yesterday's minimal crowd enjoyed their first sociable night out in weeks, both here in Hackney and across the happier half of the country.
