Iain Sinclair has described Welcome to New London as, ‘An invaluable and informed super-tour by the Cobbett of You Tube. As immediately readable and engrossing as a Rogers film.’
After the 2012 Olympics London once again entered a period of radical change, one that some people came to see as a battle for the very soul of one of the greatest cities in the world. John Rogers embarked on a series of journeys and encounters in a quest to understand what was going on.
In ‘Welcome to New London’ John Rogers invites us to join him on a captivating voyage through the ever-changing landscapes and communities of this iconic city. As a follow-up to ‘This Other London, ‘ ‘Welcome to New London’ continues Rogers’ exploration of the city from a unique perspective.
The story begins in 2013 as the Olympic village in Stratford transitioned to become a new permanent settlement, and the Stratford City plan became a reality. This excursion sparks an exploration of the Olympic Park and its surrounding areas, where a wave of development is reshaping the Lower Lea Valley.
The narrative seamlessly weaves through various facets of London’s transformation, from the Focus E15 Mothers’ occupation of homes on Carpenters Estate, a poignant symbol of the housing crisis, to the global attention garnered by campaigns like Save Soho and Save Tin Pan Alley. The book also chronicles the author’s involvement in efforts to help residents of the Sweets Way Estate and other housing campaigns, offering readers an intimate look at the human stories behind London’s changing landscape.
Intriguingly, the Rogers delves into the city’s ancient history following a chance conversation with a Pearly Punk King on the rooftop of the old Foyles building. This encounter takes him through Epping Forest to the prehistory of London in the Upper Lea Valley, unearthing Bronze Age burial mounds and their significance in understanding London’s historical roots and its enduring connection to its past.
Rogers embarks on a series of walks with acclaimed writer Iain Sinclair, providing a thought-provoking commentary on London’s future. And then somehow the United Nations sent him to Peckham to explore the concept of the ‘Open City, ‘ tying together the book’s themes and returning to the Olympic Park as a focal point.
‘Welcome to New London’ is not just a book about a city; it’s a vivid, personal account of a city in flux, where the author’s passion for exploration and his commitment to bearing witness to change converge. With its richly detailed chapters and thought-provoking commentary, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of one of the world’s greatest cities.
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Introduction
Chapter 1 – The East Village
A tour of the London Athletes’ Village after the Olympics and a circuit of the Olympic development zone and Stratford City, also takes in Leyton.
Chapter 2 – The Second Circuit
An orbital walk around the Olympic zone with a former resident of Clays Lane Housing Co-op, passing through Hackney Wick and Carpenters Estate.
Chapter 3 – A New Era/ A New Hope
A return to Carpenters Estate for the Focus E15 protest and the story of the New Era campaign in Hoxton with residents and Russell Brand.
Chapter 4 – Save Soho/Save Tin Pan Alley
Tim Arnold of Save Soho gives a tour of the musical heritage of the area on the day the 12 Bar Club in Denmark Street closed. The Save Tin Pan Alley campaign recount the legacy of ‘the street of music’ and what is being lost to development
Chapter 5 – Viva Sweetstopia
The inspiring story of how protestors established an independent microstate in North London on the Sweets Way Estate following the eviction of the council tenants.
Chapter 6 – Areas of Opportunity
Starting with the opening of the Trew Era Café in Hoxton and an interview with the Artist Taxi Driver we meet some of the other activists and campaigns in 2015/2016 including Save Earls Court and Reclaim London.
Chapter 7 – Punk Epping Forest & The Lea Valley Burial Mound
The meeting with the Bermondsey Joyriders on the Foyles Rooftop leads to an exploration of the punk heritage of Epping Forest and a journey to a Bronze Age burial mound in the Lea Valley which opens unexpected lines of enquiry
Chapter 8 – The Road to Easneye pt.1 – Leytonstone to Rye House
Following the associations opened by the Lea Valley tumulus I embark on a journey from Leytonstone to Easneye Wood near the Lea on the trail of another burial mound. The route takes me from Leytonstone through Walthamstow and Chingford to Sewardstone on the edge of London. This chapter picks up on the influence of the Buxton family on the development of London and continues the Punk Epping Forest theme.
Chapter 9 – The Road to Easneye pt.2 – Stanstead Abbots to Easneye Wood & Widbury Hillfort
Continuation of the journey to Easneye and an exploration of the ancient origins of London.
Chapter 10 – Beating the Bounds with Iain Sinclair
An account of a number of walks I undertook with the writer Iain Sinclair from his memory grounds around the East End to the development zone around Old Oak Common in the company of film-maker Chris Petit (Radio On). We’re joined at points by film-maker Andrew Kötting.
Chapter 11 – The Open City
Commissioned by the United Nations to shoot scenes of economic activity in London to illustrate a thesis developed for the Habitat III Conference in Quito I head to Peckham Queens Road, Hackney Wick, and the Olympic Park.
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John Rogers is a writer and film-maker based in Leytonstone, East London. He is the author of This Other London – adventures in the overlooked city published by Harper Collins (2013). He produces a popular series of walking videos on his You Tube channel with over 72, 000 subscribers and 11.6 million views. He frequently speaks on the subject of London and walking and has previously appeared on/at The National Gallery, BBC Radio4, BBC Radio London, BBC Radio3, Absolute Radio, London Transport Museum, Conway Hall, Swedenborg Hall, and London Live TV. John was ‘psychogeographer in-residence’ for Waltham Forest London Borough of Culture 2019, and was commissioned to create a project for Brent London Borough of Culture 2020 as part of the Brent Biennale.
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