Thursday, 18 June, 2020
This is a mostly pictorial view of today’s Hackney. Things look a little different and everyone seems mostly fine with it. Adjusting to the ‘new normal’ is going well, or so we hope.
One day I took the plunge – felt scared but brave – and did a bus ride. There was tape marking the boundary for passengers on this Hopper bus. I boarded at the back and didn’t have to touch in to pay. On another bus later, I touched in as usual. Not sure what makes the difference.
Restaurants can’t open until at least July 4 and then with some very specific guidelines. Some are open for take away, pre-order and collect, or delivery. Some offer kits of food to make your own at home. Some cafes have tables at the doorway so that no one can come in but you can be served for take away. You can’t bring your own cup. Some restaurants have closed off tables and are selling fruit, vegetables and staples in the space that’s opened. It’s all surreal and sometimes creative.
Venturing a little further, I had a nice visit to Abney Park one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ garden cemeteries of London, managed by the Borough of Hackney. I always enjoy the wildness of this cemetery that is also a conservation area, park, and event venue.
And, for me, this sign says it all:
