Off-Beat London: Bethnal Green & Vicky Park
 

This week's TimeOut London e-zine highlights Victoria Park, in London's East End.

In a visit to Bethnal Green last January i happened upon Victoria Park ('Vicky Park') and was glad i did - this historic and vast park in a generally gritty East End on that unusually warm Saturday with temps about 60 and sunny, was packed with a multi-ethnic brigade of picnickers, soccer players, etc.

So if looking for something other than mega London sites, head east.

http://www.timeout.com/london/featur...don-04-09-2008

Hi PalenQ,
Thank you for always posting something either extremely unusual, or interesting OR both!
We have taken a double-decker bus ride out to Bethnal Green as an adventure and highly recommend your post!

thanks Tod - after decades of going to London i'm always looking for new places to explore

and thanks to Cholmondley Warner's advice last year i went first to Green St and saw the most fantastic Bengali/Indian street that could be right out of New Delhi - about a mile of South Asian shops, eateries, etc. and lots of folks in saris, dodis, etc.

I went there to see a pre-game hoopla of a soccer game - West Ham was playing at home and CW mentioned it and Green St as well.

Both the pre-game soccer mania and Green St are amongst the fondest memories ever of my London explorations. (Tube name escapes me but a Tube stop is right by both)

And he recommended some pub in Bethnal Green that was 'a right of passage' for young Londoners (or some such thing) so i went to Bethnal Green just to see that pub - by the hospital but i could not find it or any pub by the hospital even though i circled it a few times

But i found Bethnal Green rather chic, with artists places, etc. and not the gritty place i thought it to be

and Victoria Park was right there.

(Tube name escapes me but a Tube stop is right by both)>>>>

Upton Park - distrct line.


And he recommended some pub in Bethnal Green that was 'a right of passage' for young Londoners (or some such thing>>>

The Blind Beggar. If you have to ask why, then you're not a Londoner:

http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/64/648/

The BB is on Whitechapel High St, opposite the Royal London Hospital, a long way from Bethnal Green and the park.

Hey CW, I was reading the comments on the BB and someone is disparaging your family name, Cornwallis!!

What's The BB?

What have we done now?

CW - who can't keep up with his own family, never mind anything else

Ah I've looked at the comments on the pub review site.

Nuffink to do with us guv!

The bloke Ronnie Kray shot for calling him a "fat poof"* was called George CORNELL not Cornwallis.

*factually accurate - but not terrible wise to say to his face.

It also has sod all to do with Jack the Ripper.

BTW The Blind Beggar is rather a nice pub these days.

The Museum of Childhood is well worth a visit.

Indeed it is.

If you come by tube; on the way out stop at the top of the steps and turn 180 degrees. You will see a small plaque to the greatest single loss of life Britain suffered in WWII ( a crush to hide from an air raid).

Also worth a visit for the real east end food is Pellecci's a legend - and deservedly so:

http://www.classiccafes.co.uk/Best.html

Have the pie and mash. It's a revelation.

I missed the memorail plaque after exiting the tube - seems there is more than one tube entrance in this big square - i was going to track it down, on CW's mention again, on my way back to the Tube but ended up walking thru the Park and over to some London Overground train station to return to Liverpool St Stn i think

well now something for next Feb - the pub and the plaque - thanks CW and others.

yes it's Upton Park - the 2nd time Cholmondly Warner has thoughtfully reminded me of that name

From the Tube exit turn left for the Bengali-south asian main drag - turn right for dumpy but delightful to me english cafes the likes of which have disappeared from central London, some tawrdy pubs, fish bars/chippies and the West Ham football, i mean soccer, stadium.

And coincidentally. in Sunday's Obeserver a fabulous review of a dead cheap chinese restaurant in Beffnal Green Rd:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...s.foodanddrink

Cholmondley - did not you read that the restaurant refused all requests of the reviewer for photos, etc. saying we have all the customers we need - they are all Chinese and don't read your paper

and then you expose them to further customers - like me - i will go to that restaurant when i look for the BlindBugger Pub or whatever and have a better look around Bethnal Green next Jan

thanks

the BlindBugger Pub>>>

It was talk like that which made it famous in the first place.

and that's why it's or was a 'right of passage for London youth' or whatever i think i remember you saying about this pub. Perhaps i mistaken that you said that however - Old Timers disease setting in rapidly it seems

It's the scene of a famous gangland murder. Ronnie Kray killed George Cornell there.

Cornell called Ronnie Kray a big fat poof, true enough, but unwise.

He wasn't that big.