Two worlds collide

This series documents the contrasting worlds of the people living, seeking entertainment and visiting London’s Shoreditch and Brick Lane

Shoreditch and Brick Lane have been at the centre of waves of immigration, from there Huguenots in the 17th century to Jewish and Irish and most recently Bangladeshi communities. Just like its location on the edge of the city of London, these communities have also been on the edge - poor, working class and not always welcome. But in the late 1990s the area underwent a process of gentrification. It’s now home to tech start ups, bars and shops and a busy night life. It’s well established as a weekend destination and on the tourist trail.

But behind the facade of the trendy cafes and retro shops there’s another - more hidden - side to this slice of London: one of people living on the edge, of waste markets and eking out a living.

This story shows how these two side of east London exist side by side, quite separate from each other