We have been finding ourselves in Walthamstow more and more recently – with both our walks and the visits to the Wetlands for various reasons. One thing that we have had written down to do (for a long time) has been God’s Own Junkyard. So last weekend we got on the bikes and headed East to go and see the spectacle of lights!
Walthamstow is one of those odd places that is only really known to some people as the home of some not-so-great boy band (E17) and to others a home to The Marshes and Reservoirs. However, during the time of Covid – Tiktok kept popping up with people visiting a Warehouse filled with Neon Signs.
Now we tried this many times and every single time it has been shut, closed for an event, photoshoots, or parties. Last weekend it was finally open to the public! We followed Google Maps and found ourselves on Offord Road – a small gentrified road in the middle of scum. This was filled with coffee shops, Restaurants, Bakers, Craft beer and Knitting shops, of course, this meant all the Tarquins and Emeldas of the area sat in their boxes on the front of parents’ bikes, screaming at the top of their lungs whilst mummy and daddy sipped on prosecco and ate tiny quail eggs. Chavs stayed to the shadows, almost as if entering the area would burn their precious Nike Jordans and grey tracksuits.
We grabbed a quick coffee – review pending – and went on our way to Ravenswood Industrial Estate.
Upon entering, we saw not just one unit open to the public but several! Street food vendors and the Wild Card Brewery Taproom surround God’s Own Junkyard. Just a side note here: if you come via bike know that there is no bike park or bike chain-up areas just one sign post – which is where we chained up.
We decided first things first and went into the Junkyard to see what the fuss was about.
On first impression – On entry, there is a rather large sign with some pretty strict rules – The most important of which is stating that you cannot use a camera or any camera equipment – you can, however, use phones. Which is fairly odd given that a lot of people video mostly with their phones and the resolution on the photos is bigger than most DSLRs, so it seems a bit redundant banning one and not the other?
The second thing you notice is it’s not quite as big as you thought it would be – it’s basically a high-ceilinged industrial unit – think car mechanics workshop. There is a front seating area – which is obviously there as a set for photoshoots. Then there are a couple of other sets, to the left, there is a small garden area.
Then there is a small Coffeeshop/restaurant area – which we didn’t know existed until entering – otherwise we may have waited for our coffees. The food seemed pretty decent in price, but we didn’t sample. If you had ordered, you could have sat at the tables or the booths surrounded by more neon.
Some sections were separate with different themes (god, rock and roll, strippers, etc.), but for the most part the signs were all placed where they could be, some overwhelming, some underwhelming, some hidden and some worth looking out for.
I wouldn’t say this was the astounding marvel that everyone dubbed it, but it was worth a look.
We took a few photos and then off we went to go and have a look at the Wild Card Brewery – I mean, we were there… it seemed rude not to.
Then off we went back home.
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