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The street of Brick Lane itself is narrow and only able to fit one-way car traffic. Not surprisingly, the road is paved with bricks. As you are walking, you will notice that the street signs are posted in both English and Bengali. Both sides of the street are lined with curry restaurants, mini marts, ‘beigel’ shops, and textile and fabric merchants – a throwback to the area’s once illustrious textile industry. Walk on the left hand side of the road and head towards the corner of Brick Lane and Bacon St. and you will find at 159 Brick Lane the World Famous Beigel Shop. This remnant of the area’s Jewish population churns out nearly 7,000 fresh bagels each day. Considered the best bagel shop in London, the store is open 24 hours a day and at just 25 pence per bagel (£1.50 for kosher filling) it is certainly the best value.
One thing you will not find in Brick Lane’s stores and restaurants is alcohol due to the area’s Muslim population. Although many of the locals may not condone it, alcohol has its place in Brick Lane’s history. In the middle of the Lane, on the corner of Brick Lane and Buxton St. is the old Truman Black Eagle Brewery. Built back in 1724, the Truman brewery employed over 1,000 people and was the second largest brewery in Britain. The brewery finally closed in 1988, but its buildings are still in use for over 250 businesses including art galleries, restaurants, and retail stores. The iconic chimney still stands with the word “Truman” painted down the side in white.
IMAGES
Brick Lane Sign. Lbwtravel.com
Brick Lane Curry Houses Street Shot. Blogspot.com
Beigel Shop 1. Blog.vgroup.com
No Alcohol Sign. Farm9.staticflickr.com
Truman Black Eagle Brewery. Upload.wikimedia.org
Truman Black Eagle Brewery Street. Farm3.staticflickr.com
Truman Eagle. Trumansbeer.co.uk
Intro | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Conclusion