A Conversation with Charlie Porter
Earlier this spring, I found my way to Arnold Circus, an elegant yet historically poignant bandstand situated at the heart of what was once one of the most destitute and squalid slums in Shoreditch, East London. I have an enduring affection for Arnold Circus: it is today meticulously maintained by a devoted community that has transformed it from a neglected and dilapidated public space into a verdant, well-tended quiet oasis. Here, far from the hum of nearby traffic, one can savor a tranquil lunch or bask in the first or last golden rays of the day.
Shoreditch, since the late 2000s a pulsating epicenter of hipster London and the pre-Brexit creative heartbeat of the city, was brimming with dynamic start-ups and an effervescent artistic energy until just before Brexit and before big money and real estate developments took over and made this part of town hugely expensive and unlivable. In recent years, however, Shoreditch has again lost some of its former luster—skyscrapers are built but shops have shuttered, businesses have changed hands, a (…)
