For the annual reunion with friends I went down, by train, back to Barking at the start of the Christmas holidays. Often I'd driven there but this time I had the pleasure of taking the train and experiencing the railway system from Exeter to East London, arriving in Barking at 12:40am on a Friday night/ Saturday morning. I had a journey with no issues, reading Edge, Infinity and The Dark Side magazines and not talking to anyone- bliss!
These magazines made my train journey time fly by!
There was a definite buzz and crackle in the air as the area outside Barking Station was hopping so I put my game face on; back came the lack of eye contact and London broad-shouldered walk.
I saw my old haunt Kennedy Fried Chicken but it was after midnight so it was closed so I went to its competitor Dixy Chicken a few doors instead. I went in to grab some vittles, and lo and behold, two guys starting having a slanging match, one threatening the other with violence about an apparently pregnant woman he was not supporting. It was all too familiar and on point- I was definitely not in Kansas!
The legendary (at least in Barking) Kennedy Fried Chicken.
Armed with my chicken filler burger, I took a cab to my home and had a chat with the cabbie about the area. He said it had gone even further downhill in the 13 years since I'd left... I’m sure these things are not connected in any way. Honest guv’nor! I know the area has changed, I felt it after the Olympics, so I was intrigued to investigate further tomorrow.
When I got to my parents’ home at 1:15am, my dad opened the door and I quickly settled down and went to sleep in the spare room. There is something strange about staying in a place you’ve grown in- it all seems familiar, the smells, sounds and sights, yet bizarro world different.
In the morning, I caught up on the state of play of Barking from my family. They said same old same old but then proceeded to tell me that the expensive new flats that had recently been built were being looked at again since some balconies had fallen. Oh Barking! I do love you!
Breakfasted, I headed out for my annual walk around the area and saw the following:
The local launderette has been fancified and looked quite boutique-y.
The old Pizza Hut space which had been abandoned for over 30 years was now a flashy German Donner Kebab house.
The Abbey Sport Centre was now a new place and, from the outside at least, looked very cool.
Abbey Quay is mostly built and looks pretty good, it's no Barcelona though.
The building work alongside the Quay looks pretty impressive.
Barking Market has increased in size and scope so pros and cons there.
Top Deck is still there and had undergone a makeover.
The Barking Dog pub has gone- thank gosh for that. I think they are expanding Barking Station.
Vicarage Fields is still dire but James Leigh, the perfume shop, still exists. I think it may be the only original shop to be so.
I took the number 5 bus to meet a friend in Stratford but wanted to see how much East Ham had changed so the bus offered a way for me to do that in quick time and see the town centre. This is what I saw:
Chicken Hut, on the corner of Park Avenue was shuttered so I'm not sure if it's still open. Please, can anyone confirm as I used to love the personal pizza, 5 chicken wings and drink for £2.50 deal from about 20 years ago.
The £1 pizza shop, where a couple of friends and I had to outrun a pack of muggers in our teens, no longer exists. It is now a trendy block of flats.
The German Donner Kebab house, which must be an expanding chain, exists here too as do the usual coffee shop chains.
When I arrived in Stratford, I saw that Westfield was buzzing but not as busy as I'd expect. I know footfall across the shops in the UK is 40% down and, whilst it's not an exact science, the fact that so many shops and restaurants were not swamped seemed to track with this stat.
Anyways, I had an amazing time catching up with friends and laughed so much. I don't think I've laughed so much for months- the jokes flowed and the camaraderie was real. Some of them I had not seen for about 5 years, what with the move to Saudi, Covid and then the move to Devon… it’s been a time!
The next day, I made my way back to London going on the new Elizabeth Line and stopped off at a few places that mattered to me- the Rathbone Place CEX, Forbidden Planet, the shell of Orbital Comics and Gosh Comics. Of these, only Gosh was open and it was an oasis that soothed my soul. I had been craving being with my people- the comicarati. A few graphic novels bought, I went to Waterloo Station and made my way home.
Reflecting on all that I had done over the weekend I enjoyed my time with my friends and family but Devon is a comforting balm of calm in this hectic world. Barking is changing, I mean aren’t we all, but there is optimism in the air as there are a lot of projects going on. I hope next time to see more of its progress.
LINK- The Midnight Library and the Idea That You Can’t Go Home Again
LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East
LINK- The Future Starts Here: An Optimistic Guide to What Comes Next- Book Review