Executive summary by darmansjah
Jess Seaton, owner The
Counter
THE scrum for
Olympic tickets left thousands empty handed, and others desperately trying to
pretend that they’ve always loved dressage and clay pigeon shooting. Yet for
those wanting to tap into the Olympic spirit even without a ticket, a visit to
a small industrial island in Hackney Wick should be a priority.
‘When the Games start, it’s going to be insane,’ says Jess
Seaton, co –proprietor of The Counter, a brick and steel diner filled with
retro furniture and gleaming iMacs. ‘Already we can hear the intercom, and the
floodlights shine straight in the windows. God knows what it’s going to be like
when the crowds get here.’
The Counter overlooks the Lee Valley River, a ribbon of
water snaking through the industrial heartlands of East London. Raise your eyes
above the bank and you’re greeted with the sight of possibly the biggest
construction site in the world – the Olympic Park. It’s also close that
customers are in danger of being hit by a stray javelin.
‘We didn’t plan this,’ says Jess. ‘We’re not Olympic
sellouts! Before we opened there was nothing here.’ She’s not kidding. From the
outside, Fish Island is little more than a ring of warehouses, shipping
containers and lorries. ‘There’s only one road in here,’ says Jess. ‘It’s a
secret community. But all of those dull warehouses are packed with creative
people. Hackney Wick has the highest concentration of art studios in the world.’
The Counter’s superlative breakfast and views have drawn people in from across
the city. And now its prime Olympic location has put the area under a global
spotlight.
Despite worries that the Games’ proximity would push rents
up and artist out, Jess has been happily surprised that this hasn’t happened. ‘This
will never be a post-Olympics ghost town. We’ll still be here when the attention
moves on, ‘she says. ‘It’s a very special area and everyone wants to keep it
that way.’
The Counter,7 Roach Rd, E3; thecountercafe.co.uk
MORE ALTERNATIVE
OLYMPIC VIEWS…
THE VIEW TUBE
See the final touches going on the Olympic site at The View
Tube viewing platform (Marshgate Ln, E15; theviewtube-learn.co.uk).
CANAL BIKE RIDE
A bike ride along the canal from Limehouse to Clapton passes
right by the stadium site (walklondon.org.uk).
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