Comments on: Dan Cruickshank’s Survey Of Spitalfields

By: Ron Hoare

Ron Hoare — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 22:08:14 +0000

“the scheme, which includes significant alterations to the interior, has been re–submitted.”

This comment from Dan is key. Planners resubmit applications until they get something agreed. What should happen is that if a planner submits something before local approval and it is then rejected, a law should be introduced to state that no resubmission can be made within 20 years. Will this remove development; not if the following then happens. The site will then pass to the Neighbourhood Local Plan representatives. They can then decide what the local community actually needs. The owner of the site still controls it, so can, of course reject any alternative suggestion and leave it empty. The Neighbourhood Plan is not communism; it also should not be able to force through what it wants on land it doesn’t own.

This has many benefits and 4 of these are:

1. People may get what they need in the local area.
2. Neighbourhood Local Plans will start to get the higher priority they deserve and need.
3. Planning offices will be bombarded with far fewer repeat applications.
4. As a result of 3, planning offices will have far more time (or need less money) to consider what the local people who pay their salaries actually want and need.

By: Christopher Woodward

Christopher Woodward — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 21:34:20 +0000

Congratulations Dan

A wonderful use for lockdown, and of the beautiful weather and clean air and skies. Good luck with the local listing. I hope you can get the list publicised and sent to Councillors, property owners etc.

By: Pamela Traves

Pamela Traves — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 19:00:31 +0000

These are Amazing Pictures. Thank You So Very Much!!????????

By: Jill Wilson

Jill Wilson — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 15:40:51 +0000

I’m pleased that Dan was able to take advantage of the peace and quiet of lockdown to take these stunning photos, and that he is drawing attention to the wonderful examples of Victorian industrial architecture in the Spitalfields area.

Lets hope more people will come to appreciate these buildings before they are destroyed and replaced by yet more horrendous soulless glass and steel monsters…

By: Paul Bommer

Paul Bommer — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 14:35:47 +0000

The original Bell was tied to the King’s Arms Brewing in nearby Old Castle Street – perhaps the Crowned Bell represents that union?

By: Adele

Adele — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 12:27:53 +0000

Thank you Mr Cruickshank and GA for this wonderfully informative article and phots. I passed most of these buildings as a teenager going to and from school and didn’t appreciate their history or beauty at that time. On a recent trip back to the area I was shocked by the loss of so many and the invading intrusion of so much glass and ugliness. These precious buildings must be preserved!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 11:11:28 +0000

My favourite of Dan’s photos is Stapleton’s Stable appearing to have his “eyes” safely open in the respite of desertion.
Annie S writes recently used as a market, how marvellous if that befitting use could one day be resurrected and the interior photographed too.

The glorious purity of the electric blue of the skies everywhere, for the grace of no aircraft, is a joy in itself.

We should take advantage of this huge life change and of how extra imposing these buildings truly appear in this light, devoid of human life & traffic and submit a collective appeal for Spitalfields salvation as a whole, rather than one threatened building at a time.

The GA’s readers can be depended on for writing letters where guided.

By: Lynne Perrella

Lynne Perrella — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 10:30:32 +0000

Long live the Preservationists! I hope YOU are a “protected” species, and continue your
enthusiastic efforts on behalf of these remarkable structures. I loved these vibrant, descriptive
photos and Mr. Cruickshank’s affirming comments. (and thanks for the close-up of the Bell — what a wonderfully eccentric image!……worthy of notice and speculation, methinks)

Stay safe, all.

By: Annie S

Annie S — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 09:23:47 +0000

Thank you for the very interesting information on the buildings – I am surprised that so many are only locally listed.
The Stapletons building was open for a market for a little while – the inside area is amazing! I had never realised what was behind the frontage.
All the buildings are part of what makes Spitalfields a unique area – let’s hope they will be there for years to come.

By: Nicholas Sack

Nicholas Sack — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 07:31:04 +0000

What a wonderful piece by Dan Cruickshank. His choice of words to describe 19th-century industrial architecture – ‘poetic’, ‘sublime’, ‘ethereal’, ‘abstract’ – inspires me to look more closely at Wentworth and Commercial Streets. And his photographs of Italianate facades struck by sunlight, streets empty but for shadows, put me in mind of Giorgio de Chirico.