Local resident Martin sings a reggae tune Local star Andrea Gorse sings Aretha Franklin at the kar Street art welcoming Angela Lansbury back to Poplar CHRISP Street Market has been the heart of the community for generations, but with the surge of online shopping and competition from supermarkets , there is further need to protect and promote the borough’s markets. To encourage conversations and feedback from residents about its future, a series of live events entitled the Chrisp Street Market Show were hosted in Market Square. Food from local vendors and a selection of east London specialties made up a special Chrisp Street Market menu, served on social dining tables, while a platform space presented concerts, film screenings, karaoke sessions and even a boxing match. The project has been supported by Tower Hamlets Public Health, the Greater London Authority and The Decorators, an organisation that encourages people to engage with local objects and architecture. Each Saturday featured live radio shows, inviting visitors to show off their musical, story-telling, poetic and comedic talents on an open-mic. A Chrisp Street On Air talk show gave the opportunity for people to voice their opinions and and discuss future initiatives and development in the area. Topics of conversation ranged from the importance of the market as a social and economic asset for the area, the challenges faced by the market as well as discussions around ways to successfully sustain the market. The project aimed to improve perception of the area and increased awareness of the importance of social and community cohesion. In a statement on their project, The Decorators said: “Chrisp Street Market is a pedestrianised shopping centre and marketplace built as a post-war vision of community living. Our proposal is inspired by Fredrick Gibberd’s original vision as a place for a new kind of social housing. “The philosophy of the original design was George Woods has a few stories to tell on Chrisp Street On Air A resident enjoys the Angela Lansbury Quiz (l-r) Pauleen Goswell and Ma that all a community requires should be within the neighbourhood, and our aim is to resurrect and reconnect with that vision. “Through a process of community engagement and participation, the square was used as a space to exchange thoughts and ideas between local residents as well as a London-wide audience.” Dr Somen Banerjee, director of Tower Hamlets Public Health, said: “We aim to raise the profile of this market and attract further support for new and existing local businesses, Over three consecutive Saturdays, Chrisp Street Market became more than a place to grab a quick bite as the council and its partners re-imagined what the space could be like beyond the buzz of the everyday trade, as Anna Wilson reports. Taking it to the streets Poet Roy Gillene-Star is interviewed by Chrisp Street On Air Adam Spelling and Lisa Moore from Lansbury Boxing Club (l-r) George Wymer, Clifton Thompson and Richard Carey 18 NEWS FROM TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY 28 APRIL – MAY 4 2014
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