It’s no understatement to say that of all the neighbourhoods in the London, Stratford is the one most in flux. Mass redevelopment began in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics, and its ongoing legacy includes an ambitious cultural quarter, East Bank, which from 2022 will house a new Sadler’s Wells theatre, an offshoot of the V&A, BBC Music studios and the London College of Fashion.
For now, though, it’s business as usual: step outside the station onto the European-style piazza and it’s a blur of street dancers and people swarming up over the bridge to Westfield. Opposite is the Stratford Shoal, a shimmering 820ft-long sculpture created to hide the shabby Seventies shopping centre from Olympic visitors; behind are a handful of historic gems, from the elegantly restored Theatre Royal to the Italianate splendour of the Old Town Hall with its 100-ft domed tower. But you can escape the crowds – and the cranes – by heading to the foodie East Village, and the open spaces of the Olympic Park. To help guide you, here are some of the best places to visit in Stratford.