# where First and Third Worlds meet



## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

*Brick Lane Market, May 2010*

Brick Lane is one of 5 huge interconnected markets packing in hundreds of thousands every Sunday in Tower Hamlets, one of the poorest, densest areas in London. A hub of Bangladeshi, creative, and student communities it's said there are more artists living here than anywhere else in the world (though from rising rents seems they've all moved onto Hackney and Berlin). Still, they get lured back every market day. 

It's said gritty old London is where *the First World and Third World meet*, this would be the epicentre. 










Nb: Only Brick Lane Market (junk, stolen goods) and Upmarket (food, crafts and vintage) is covered here - theres also Columbia Rd market (flowers), Whitechapel (Bengali goods), Spitalfields (posh clothes n crafts), Petticoat Lane (cheap tat).

Sit back, play n njoi... Hope you like em    *You may have to refresh the page to see all the pix*







All pix are mine 
*
Every Sunday the streets are transformed as thousands set up stalls or bedsheets loaded with tat, second hand clothes, stolen goods, food and art on hundreds of plots.
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*1991 is BACK*








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This girl setting up right outside some people's front door 











street art everywhere, this the original breeding ground of Banksy way back, and endless imitators (-who really nicked the idea off Paris)










Vying for space and attention so much- they fade into background










Everything's for sale, from junk to karaoke to sex (a red light area operates round the corner)


















...and a whole load of streetfood from every conceivable place- Ghanaian, Brazilian, Eritrean, Mauritian, Lao, Peruvian, Russian, Tibetan, Catalan, Kurdish, Grenadan. This is the Japanese octopus ball stall.*










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by the mid noughties massive bars started opening up in the industrial buildings, and the place got that commercial makeover - the carparks sometimes turn into beaches. This is a big place for drinking (and drugs), so the edge still remains, despite the dandies.*



















*The streetlife is a photographers dream, haunt of art students and nerdy cameramen (like me)










Everywhere you go people sitting on the pavements








x

A few locals still brave it every weekend. The centuries old Jewish community here preceded the Bengalis.










this residential street round the corner from the food stalls doubles as the only place to eat, houses behind are over 200 years old








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The Jamme Masjid is the world's only building that was a Church, synagogue, Methodist chapel and finally a mosque. Round the corner is the big Spitalfields Church, the only major landmark with ancient sidestreets once home to French silkweavers*

















*Anyone can sell, the local police tolerate a lack of trading licences, here and only here










This felt weird, people were huddling together, then shouting - it seemed like some deal was going on...










Despite all the business there's always an element of history and grit 










the arty crew (aka as Hoxton Twats) slowly give way to Brick Lane proper, the haunt of curry houses and the 'real' locals, the Bangladeshi community that first came here 150 years ago.








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*Tsingtao beer









trendy shops slot into local ones
















visitor versus local, the guy on the right works an Islamic leaflet stall. The community hails from Sylhet, looked down on by other Bengalis as the poor, street-talkin characters of home - but who fit right in with the East End stereotype of duckin n a divin, doin a deal -innit geezer. Despite their dress theyre as Cockney as you can get.















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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

*old fashioned sweetie stall does a roaring trade, the Bangla boys behind sneaking a drink at the one corner of the street










Bike town, if you get yours nicked anywhere in the city chances are youll find/ buy it back here on Sunday










Banglatown end is filled with curry houses - locals flee every market day, but enough colour survives
in the flash of shalwar kameez and retro clash










Touts pull in the punters with deals and cheap booze- but the curries have changed to their tastes. Nowadays the authentic stuff has to be
found off Whitechapel way.








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*The Truman brewery was once London's largest, it now becomes an alley cramming it with drinkers, shoppers and gallery ghosts











This leads to a vast concrete carpark, filled with seating and surrounded by huge bars and guerilla art:










and blank alleyways, full of loiterers








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*Mexican wrestling masks everywhere, I saw several stalls, most didnt want their pix taken - the guy on this stall kept hiding behind a sheet of paper


















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*seating options
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*Girl talking LOUD*




















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shops have taken to leaving benches out front in spirit of the loiterers, people still prefer the pavement tho'*












*...but some irresistible








*


More later folks...


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## heywindup (Dec 12, 2009)

Wow... amazing pictures of Brick Lane / Spitalfields. I love the grittiness and the architecture of the area.

Everyone seems so fashionable.


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## StoneRose (Sep 13, 2004)

Wow, so many beautiful people...


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## Medaart (Jan 20, 2009)

Enjoyed it very very much! thanks


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## Almenac-SS (Jul 17, 2005)

it's like hipster-ville!


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## Andre_idol (Aug 6, 2008)

It´s the most interesting place I saw here! And weird too...Altough is indeed full of beautiful people.

Thanks for showing and keep them coming :cheers:


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Very nice, really amazing :applause: thanks for sharing


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## Jonesy55 (Jul 30, 2004)

Great thread, one of my favourite spots in London!


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

cheers guys


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## Republica (Jun 30, 2005)

nice one spliff fairy - i always click your threads first.

There will be plenty of people viewing this thread but not commeting - dont forget that (keep em coming)!


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## JPBrazil (Mar 12, 2007)

I wish the poorest areas of my country looked like this.


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## PortoNuts (Apr 26, 2008)

One of the most (if the the most) multicultural spot in London. Everyone's so trendy. 

London's cosmopolitanism in its pure form. And what a great place to buy a few bargains. :cheers:

Congratulations for the thread! :applause:


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## Buffalo Soldier (Jun 13, 2009)

This looks great!!


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## Munichpictures1970 (Aug 2, 2007)

Cool place, very interesting pictures!


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Is any possible to see more photos into this thread?


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## stevensp (May 7, 2010)

a lovely thread... i go to browse in some of my city photography i took for similar material
its an amazing thread!


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

Just waiting for the next page to stick the next pics up, otherwise too many pix and they wont all load


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## Medaart (Jan 20, 2009)

In that case, let me help you with another post because I can't wait. Probably the best thread about street scenes i've seen on ssc!!


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## johnnypd (Oct 13, 2002)

nice pics. think we need to see more of the bangladeshi side of the community though, to get the point of the thread title...


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## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

Fantastic pics! I love the Brick Lane area!


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## heywindup (Dec 12, 2009)

Hello spliff fairy, future mayor of London, will you be posting pictures of nearby Shoreditch as well? Or will you stick to the Spitalfields/Brick Lane area for this thread?


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

aw, not Shoreditch end, tho its just as funky I know. I think my fingers on the clicker would wear out by then :cheers:


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

More for your viewing pleasure...


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## Andre_idol (Aug 6, 2008)

The street atmosphere must be great on those busy days 

Thanks for the pics!


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

yep its only this crowded on Sundays, tho at night its pretty jammed too as its a big nightlife area. Weekdays its a nondescript part of town, with the odd hipster here or there.


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

mawr


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

x
















































































c


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## PortoNuts (Apr 26, 2008)

Outstading! :applause:

Every tourist in London should visit Brick Lane, but without ruining the street vibe.


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## Medaart (Jan 20, 2009)

Thanks again, I can't get enough!


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

moved


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## Justme (Sep 11, 2002)

This is the best London gallery I've seen in a long time here at SSC. No injustice to the others, but they usually capture again and again the same, though lovely famous sites. It's great to see a gallery on this part of London. And spliff fairy, you done a great job.

What amazes me also about this part of the East End, is its proximity to the banking district. Get off the tube at Liverpool Street Station and you are smack in the wealthy CBD, with glitzy modern architecture and grand historical banks and offices. Walk 5-10 minutes and it suddenly changes to this. No wonder the rents are going up. If I worked in an office in the City here would be a great place to live just a short walk away.

A few years ago I was in London and went to meet a friend for a curry at Brick Lane and a few drinks afterwards. I got off the tube on Commercial Road and had to rub my eyes. I swore I wasn't in Europe any more. I had been to Brick Lane a few times before, but nothing prepared me for how Commercial Road had changed. I could have been in North Africa. It was amazing.

Please continue this thread, keep posting pictures and make it a regular occurrence for updates. I would love to see you show some Shoreditch photos now that you say it's also great.


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

Thanks mate, yep its such a difference this part of town to the Financial district right next door. If ever youre in town gimme a bell :cheers:


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## Koobideh (Jun 27, 2009)

Brick Lane looks awesome


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## Herbie Fully Loaded (Aug 28, 2009)

Amazing thread!


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## Justme (Sep 11, 2002)

the spliff fairy said:


> Thanks mate, yep its such a difference this part of town to the Financial district right next door. If ever youre in town gimme a bell :cheers:


Thanks for the offer :cheers: Actually, I'm in London again in a few days and will be next door to you guys in the City. But only a fleeting visit. Flying in for a black tie dinner in the restaurant on top of the Gherkin, then straight out the next morning. Looking forward to the view from up there.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Amazing photo-updates  well done


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## sky-eye (Jan 2, 2003)

Fantastic area, i like it.


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## Tombs (Sep 9, 2007)

This is incredible. Sometimes I walk down Brick Lane and think "this is so unique, no one could ever fully replicate or completely capture this place", but you have captured the atmosphere on the street pretty much 100% precisely.

This thread was a joy to see, keep up the fantastic work spliff fairy.


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

Thanks guys,


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