Exploring the east end of London

There’s a trader in Old Spitalfields Market who sells some of the finest hats in London.

Colin Rosie was homeless and sleeping rough in 2013 when, with just a handful of hats and the support of charity No Second Night Out, he set about launching the business that helped him turn his life around.

His stall, The Last Stop For The Curious, is now a prominent feature in London’s oldest market and the well-known hat aficionado is only too happy to regale people with tales of the history of this patch of London.

Colin is happy to regale visitors with stories of the area around London’s oldest market

Wearing his trademark three-piece suit, Colin leads a group of visitors to the entrance of the market one recent Saturday afternoon and gestures across to The Ten Bells pub, renowned for reportedly being the place where two of Jack the Ripper’s victims were last seen alive.

He points out the white chapel that gives this vibrant area its name and Brick Lane beyond, famed for its curry houses and the namesake of Monica Ali’s acclaimed novel that focuses on a cross-section of the Bangladeshi community in Tower Hamlets.

It is a fast-changing area of London that is diverse and rich in history.

Not so long ago, when the nearby, now-trendy Shoreditch was full of industrial warehouses, artists such as Banksy, Damien Hirst and

Tracey Emin would hang out and their legacy continues to influence the neighbourhood.

But more on that later, for this trip really begins on Friday evening in the bustle of Liverpool Street Station, an easy tube ride from Paddington, where the pace is fast and different factions of society meet.

Just a stone’s throw from the station stands the impressive Andaz London Liverpool Street Hotel, one of the original railway hotels. Its majestic exterior remains largely unchanged, while inside, guests are surrounded by understated five-star luxury.

“Can I get you a drink? Water? Tea? Wine?” asks the wonderfully efficient man on reception, as he checks guests in. The requested wine is a generous serving, delicious and complimentary – this is five-star treatment through and through.

Andaz is one of the original railway hotels

Guests are surrounded by understated luxury

Décor throughout the hotel is modern, with plenty of adornments by local artists and authors that reflect the area in which it is situated. The bedroom exudes understated luxury and small touches – including a small plate of homemade macaroons – makes the welcome extra special.

A Friday night dinner in Rake’s, a café bar attached to the hotel, gives guests a chance to mingle with locals enjoying a post-work wind down in its opulent, foliage-filled front room space.

Options include the moreish spicy cauliflower wings, seafood paella, a zesty quinoa salad and hand-cut rosemary chips. The menu is simple and inventive – with modest-sized dishes that are full of flavour and cocktails that pack a powerful punch.

It’s an impressive breakfast spread in the hotel’s 1901 dining room

Saturday morning brings breakfast in yet another of the hotel’s beautifully-restored historic dining rooms, 1901, and a spread that is anything but modest.

A buffet table forms a centrepiece in the middle, laden with hot and cold breakfast items, pastries, breads, fruit, juices, cereal and more. A team of staff expertly circulate, greeting guests and pouring hot coffee from shiny silver pots. The only regret is not having more time to indulge, but what comes next is not to be missed.

A short walk from the hotel brings us to the heart of Shoreditch, where Dr Maria Domenica Arcuri, of Shoreditch Street Art Tours, waits to embark on a whirlwind tour on some of the area’s famous – and not-so-famous – pieces of street art (£20 per person).

A Banksy original on a wall in Shoreditch

Street art on the hoardings surrounding an area set for redevelopment

Renowned artists have made their mark on this area of London

Starting with a couple of Banksy pieces, each with a protective transparent plastic cover, we journey past political statement stencils, huge collaborative collages, the odd mushroom sculpture positioned atop of buildings, tin can art and plenty more social commentary – from Trump and Brexit, to the developers set on changing the area for good.

Maria is passionate about her subject and her knowledge is seemingly infinite. She opens eyes to the story behind some of the area’s vibrant visual art pieces and hidden gems. Ultimately, she says, the beauty of street art is its temporary, transient nature.

Art can be found almost anywhere on the stroll between Shoreditch and Spitalfields Market

Beigel Bake is famous for its salt beef bagels

With much to see and do, you could spend all day on the go in East London, but take a moment to stop in for a bagel at Beigel Bake, a local institution famed for its salt beef bagels, and just pause to watch the world go by and soak it all in.

From here, it’s a short stroll to Spitalfields Market. There has been a market on this site for more than 800 years – but it has changed plenty over the years and is nowadays a curious mix of modern, high-end stores and local traders selling clothing, jewellery, hand-crafted items and more, as well as a collection of food and drink stalls with flavours from around the world.

And, of course, Colin and his collection of hats.

The hotel, just a short walk from the market, offers an hour or two of respite, then it’s time to explore more of what the impressive building has to offer. Hotel owners Hyatt have billed Andaz London Liverpool Street as a concept hotel and among its six restaurants is Miyako, a Japanese restaurant that also offers sushi-making masterclasses from £79 per person.

And so it is that we find ourselves climbing a hidden staircase in the hotel’s interior to enter the sleek workshop space. The back wall features portraits of many people who have played a role in the hotel’s development and a huge table in the centre of the room is already laid out ready for work to begin.

The table laid ready for the sushi and sake masterclass

Sake flowed as participants were put through their sushi-making paces

Led by head chef Kosei Sakamoto, the masterclass is fun, creative and just the right level of challenging. There is a steady stream of delicious sake to accompany the experience – available in sparkling, hot, cold, or sample all three – and about as much sushi as you can eat.

The whole weekend is a sensory overload, culminating in an immersive dining experience within the opulent – and slightly spooky – setting of the original Masonic Temple, a room available for private hire that dates back to 1912 and was hidden for years before being carefully restored and brought back to life.

Just for starters – brunch at Eastway Brasserie

After a cocktail-fuelled night followed by yet another indulgent leisurely Sunday morning breakfast, this time in Eastway Brasserie, it’s time to brave London traffic and go exploring on the capital’s distinctive red and grey Santander bikes that are available for £2 for 24-hour use.

The system is easy to use and it’s not long before we’re coasting away from Liverpool Street, down the back streets heading vaguely towards the Thames and the Tower of London.

As traffic gets busier, dedicated cycle lanes make the journey thoroughly enjoyable and as we ride over Tower Bridge, it feels like the ultimate mode of transport for seeing all the city has to offer.

For an hour or so, we happily explore some of the streets near the Thames that would otherwise likely go unexplored. But to get a riverside view in this part of London requires dismounting and navigating the crowds out enjoying the Sunday sunshine.

Cycling is a great way to explore the streets of London

The view from the top of the Tate Modern

Ultimately, we leave the bikes at a convenient docking point by the Tate Modern and continue sight-seeing on foot – passing Shakespeare’s Globe, HMS, Belfast and the Tower of London as we meander back to collect luggage from the hotel and begin the journey back to Bristol Temple Meads.

For full details and prices at the Andaz London Liverpool Street hotel, click here to visit the website.

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