Into town to drop off a copy of the Typo Circle poster at CST’s new office in St Katharine’s Dock. In the early 80’s my Dad kept a boat there. The Thames was a much scruffier place then. Pre-Butler’s Wharf re-development, no Design Museum, the Thames Barrier was just about complete and the exterior of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre was being built. The dock had been re-developed in the 70’s. A big hotel went up and the warehouses had been partially converted to offices and apartments. Today the dock is fully made-over with a mix of smart office complexes, apartments, cafes, restaurants and farmer’s market/food stalls. Feels like a self contained mini-community now.
The layout’s the same and the Ivory Gate still intact. Odd that it remains outside the Congestion Charge Zone as it’s immediately next door to Tower Bridge. Nice short article about the history of St Katharine’s and the ivory trade here.
Drove home through Whitechapel, Mile End and past Stratford’s Olympic development.
