Bow Wharf

Originally the site of a Victorian glue factory, the warehouses lining Bow Wharf have seen massive change and regeneration in recent years.

An area still rich in history and culture, Bow Wharf is at the junction of the Regent's Canal and the Hertford Union Canal. The initial development plans aimed to re-create it as a stylish ‘water-city’ built in the same vein as those in Amsterdam. Its famous canalside Victorian factories are now home to comedy club Jongleurs, a gym, The Fat Cat Café Bar and Chisenhale Gallery. Recently, the area has also incorporated 44 waterside apartments as well as more shops, bars and restaurants into its mix.

Bow Wharf, and the East End in general, is set to benefit again from an enormous amount of investment and regeneration, due to the impending 2012 Olympics.

The much-loved Roman Road Market is situated on one of the oldest trade routes in the UK, and sells everything from jellied eels to clothes and furniture. It’s a great place to bargain hunt in London, and visitors can expect to find food, arts and crafts, home and garden wares. The market’s ‘Super Saturdays’ take place throughout the summer and make for a great family day out, with special events, street performers, face painters, stilt walkers, and clowns.

For those that favour the bustling atmosphere of a market, Columbia Road Flower Market should be your next port of call. Specialist plant growers and nursery owners all flock to this market to display their products and punters can expect to find both traditional and exotic varieties of plant, as well as garden accessories at knock-down prices. When exhaustion starts to set in head to one of the bars situated in the Bow Wharf warehouses, such as Bar Risa with its relaxing canalside views, and finish up the day with a relaxing waterside drink.

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