Siva Thangarajah, Author at Roman Road LDN

Bow, Globe Town, Stepney and Bromley-by-Bow poverty map, 1898, Charles Booth.

Charles Booth’s poverty map of London: where does your street rank?

April 24, 2021January 14, 2022 Siva Thangarajah 50241 Views 4 min read

Charles Booth’s poverty maps have been digitised by the London School of Economics allowing us to compare streets then and

Businesses open during lockdown: Open, Delivery or Collection

January 10, 2021January 13, 2022 Siva Thangarajah 14189 Views 19 min read

It is lockdown round 3.0 Roman Roadies! Although many services deemed essential, such as supermarkets and pharmacies, are largely operating

Rich Mix illustration of meditation programme

A free 10-week mental wellbeing ‘toolkit’ to help you through lockdown

January 9, 2021January 8, 2021 Siva Thangarajah 430 Views 2 min read

After nearly a year of living with Covid-19, we find ourselves yet again in another lockdown akin to last March. And this time, you might agree that we’re collectively worn down from a year of living with the pandemic and, unlike last time, there’s less sun to provide us with some much-needed Vitamin D.

Woman and man heart with hands by matt nelson

COVID-19: How to help

January 5, 2021January 13, 2022 Siva Thangarajah 7828 Views 6 min read

As the needs in our community sadly, continue to grow as the pandemic places more pressure on all levels of society, your appetite to help those in need has not abated. Here’s our COVID-19 Community Guide for lockdown #3.

Dandelions in Victoria Park, East London

Messages from our spiritual leaders as they reflect on the last year

December 17, 2020January 14, 2022 Siva Thangarajah 517 Views 10 min read

The light of faith has been so important this year, but that light has shown through in so many ways in our country; acts of kindness to strangers, reconnecting with neighbours, those on the frontline of fighting Covid-19.

Owner Ali Emran and his staff at Eato, Roman Road

Ali Emran, left, and his staff © Social Streets C.I.C

Eato: mocktails, grills and colourful burgers

December 10, 2020January 12, 2022 Siva Thangarajah 859 Views 3 min read

Eato is very much a reflection of me,’ says the founder Ali Emran.

Doing the crossword - a window into canal boats on Regent's Canal, by photographer Rose Palmer

Canal boat windows. Photography by Rose Palmer

Barge portraits: A window into life on the Regent’s canal [photoessay]

December 3, 2020January 13, 2022 Siva Thangarajah 2645 Views 4 min read

I wanted to capture intimate scenes of people’s autumn evenings on the boats.

Julie Begum of Swadhinata Trust

Swadhinata Trust’s Julie Begum: ‘If I’m not challenging the injustice I see, I’m part of the problem.’

November 28, 2020January 14, 2022 Siva Thangarajah 2119 Views 7 min read

‘If I’m not challenging the injustices that I see then I’m part of the problem,’ says Begum. ‘I am not a passive person and I don’t want to be a passive person.’

Harry and the Chicks’ new single ‘Bow Church’ captures the beauty of Bow

November 21, 2020January 14, 2022 Siva Thangarajah 2406 Views 2 min read

‘I come from a typically working-class, East End family,’ she says. So when I was young, I remember going with my mum to the market on a Saturday. And I distinctly remember what a social atmosphere it was here. How people on the streets would talk to each other.’

Poet Iftikhar Latif outside Hiland Cafe where he holds his poetry slam nights

Iftikhar Latif on swapping his Oxford law degree for East End poetry slams

November 16, 2020January 14, 2022 Siva Thangarajah 2046 Views 8 min read

‘When I first started I was mainly writing about how sad I was. Now I’m also thinking there are also these other things going on, like how I’m British Bangladeshi and how I come from East London but went to a really posh university.’

Pam Tironi, owner of the Bakery Room, Roman Road in East London, surrounding by cakes

The Bakery Room: patisserie comes to Roman Road

November 6, 2020January 12, 2022 Siva Thangarajah 4069 Views 3 min read

Say hello to The Bakery Room. It is a new patisserie shop on the market stretch of Roman Road by the same team as Mile End’s The Pizza Room and The Coffee Room, who are now bringing their French and Italian-inspired bakes on the eastern of the high street.

Roman Road’s newest food venture is a nod to the 80s and NYC

November 2, 2020January 12, 2022 Siva Thangarajah 2557 Views 2 min read

It’s the Biblical metaphor! It is all about neighbourhood dining, about this idea of everyone getting together and sharing delicious hearty food that isn’t too fancy, that you just want to tuck into.’

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