Bermondsey
Anyone but the most recent visitor to Bermondsey will be utterly amazed at the transformation that’s happened over the past few years. Always known for its weekly antiques market that packs up as most of us start the day, Bermondsey has recently been put on the map by a host of celebrity residents and the arrival of people working in the creative industries. Now every week sees the opening of another art gallery, fashion boutique or café bar. Centred around the revitalisation of über-hip Bermondsey Street, this is fast becoming a fashion centre. At the heart of it all is Zandra Rhodes’ Fashion and Textile Museum (painted in characteristically vibrant orange and pink). New designers like funky print duo Eley Kishimoto and cult label Cockfighter are setting up here too, offering an alternative fashion scene to more established areas like Soho and Notting Hill.
The range of food and drink on offer is making it a social destination in itself — long tipped as the Next Big Thing after Hoxton lost its edge. Bars like The Garrison and The Hartley offer great food in a gastropub environment without losing that all-important welcoming local feel. And just to prove that there’s still a part of Bermondsey that remains true to its roots, you can still enjoy traditional pie and mash at Manze’s — highly recommended for a slice of real old fashioned Bermondsey.
Inevitably, the property developers have spotted the opportunity in Bermondsey, and there are very few pieces of spare land that aren’t earmarked for development or in the midst of it. Much of this keeps something of the past, like the refurbishment of the Hartley’s Jam factory or the Alaska Building conversion, which presaged the current building boom by a decade or so. Both are interesting ex-industrial buildings, and their sensitive refurbishment has meant that Bermondsey retains its character in the midst of all the exciting regeneration.
